Lyft driver arrested for allegedly raping drunk tourist in Miami while commuting
CNN has reached out to Rojas’ attorney for comment.
The woman was at a bar in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood on February 26, according to a Miami Beach police complaint/arrest affidavit.
She told police she had fallen ill several times outside the bar and ordered a Lyft to take her back to her Miami Beach hotel. The app identified her driver as Rojas and she said he was the one who picked her up, according to the affidavit.
Police were able to identify Rojas based on the woman’s travel history at Lyft and city cameras located near her hotel, the arrest affidavit states.
The woman told police she fell asleep in the back of the vehicle and woke up to the sound of Rojas’ phone to announce her arrival at her destination. She said she looked out the window and saw the hotel, but Rojas kept walking past, according to the court document.
She told police that Rojas eventually parked the car and sat in the back seat with her, pulling up her dress against her will and raping her, according to the report. She said she told him to stop and was too drunk to fight him, according to the complaint.
The woman said he then returned to the driver’s seat and dropped her off at her hotel, where she got out and called the police, according to the complaint.
A Lyft spokesperson said Rojas no longer drives for the rideshare service,
“The behavior described is appalling,” the spokesperson said. “The driver has been permanently removed from the Lyft community, and we stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation in any way we can.”
Lyft said it has in-app safety features, including emergency help where a rider or driver can discreetly contact ADT, a security company, who can get in touch with authorities.