Lyft driver charged after 911 caller reports he touched 11-year-old rider, NC cops say
A Lyft driver accused of touching an 11-year-old during a ride is facing charges in North Carolina, officials said.
The driver was arrested after officials said one of his rideshare passengers called 911 from a moving car. The passenger reported that the person behind the wheel “was asking personal questions and had touched the leg of an 11-year-old child in the car.”
The driver — identified as 56-year-old Miguel Angel Rodriguez of Mebane — was taken to jail. The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office didn’t share attorney information for Rodriguez in a June 6 news release.
Lyft on its website said it constantly works on safety features for its mobile application and requires drivers to have background checks.
In response to an emailed request for comment about Rodriguez’s case, a company spokesperson told McClatchy News that “safety is fundamental to Lyft, and the behavior described is appalling. We’ve permanently removed the driver from the Lyft community, have been in touch with law enforcement, and stand ready to assist with their investigation.”
At about 8:15 p.m. on June 2, officials said someone called 911 while traveling from Orange County to Alamance County. The “open line” call reportedly came from one of three passengers in the Lyft, and deputies started exchanging text messages with the person.
Officials said “deputies met the victims at their destination and conducted interviews” before Rodriguez was taken to a jail in Graham, roughly 25 miles east of Greensboro.
The driver was charged with misdemeanor assault on a minor less than 12 years old and felony indecent liberties with a child-immoral. He was given a $30,000 bond, and “more charges are possible pending further investigation,” according to the sheriff’s office.
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 9:00 AM.
