Lyft Driver in Myrtle Beach Arrested for Assaulting Passenger
An incident in Myrtle Beach has cast a spotlight on ride-hailing app safety. A 32-year-old Lyft driver, named MD Soriful Islam, has been arrested and charged following a sexual assault allegation brought forward by a 19-year-old college student. The student is also proceeding with a lawsuit against Islam and Lyft, who he was officially working for at the time of the incident. As per the law, the woman’s identity remains unrevealed in the lawsuit and she is referred to as Jane Doe.
The Incident
Doe, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology, was out with her roommates on October 21, 2023, in the Crooked Floor Tavern, located in Conway. After midnight, Doe (Jane Doe) started feeling tired and used her Lyft app to call for a ride home. The ride to her apartment from the tavern was just about 1.5 miles. Islam accepted the ride request via his Lyft driver app and picked Doe at 12:52 a.m. on October 22, 2023, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit further states that as soon as Doe settled in the front passenger seat, Islam began making inappropriate and incessant sexually suggestive remarks. Her concern piled up when Islam missed the first turn leading to her apartment complex intentionally, disregarding GPS instructions and Doe’s reminders. Doe then felt increasingly anxious about her safety.
Escalation of the Assault
Noticing Islam’s erratic behavior and the deviation from their intended route, Doe informed him that another route, one ahead of their current path, would also lead them to her apartment. After taking the suggested turn, Islam parked the car in a vacant spot close to Doe’s apartment building. As mentioned in the lawsuit, upon bringing the vehicle to a halt, Islam forcefully grabbed her arm and several times told her to “kiss me”. She tried to resist Islam, and in the process, he locked the vehicle doors, preventing her escape. Islam then allegedly began to grope her, the lawsuit detailed. Doe unlocked the door eventually and escaped. After reaching her apartment, she informed the police and reported the incident to Lyft.
Lyft’s Response and Doe’s lawsuit
Lyft’s response to Doe’s report was, “We received your phone support request. Lyft won’t match you with this driver again. Thanks for letting us know.” Further, Doe received a refund for her fare. But according to the lawsuit, since then, Lyft has neither made any contact nor updated her about any internal investigation concerning the incident.
The lawsuit also accused Lyft of being negligent in its hiring, training, and supervision. The suit alleges Lyft of creating an unsafe environment by partnering random drivers with riders and their failure to necessitate in-car surveillance cameras. The hiring process, as the lawsuit alleges, also seems to have glaring gaps, as the company does not seem to conduct thorough background checks on its prospective drivers, doing only the legally required bare minimum.
It remains unknown if Islam continues to drive for Lyft or if there have been any previous complaints against him. Post his arrest, Islam was released from the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on a $30,000 bond.
Source: HERE News Network
