Kevyn Rojas, a 26-year-old Lyft driver from Miami Beach, was arrested on Tuesday, March 1, for allegedly raping a female tourist during a late-night ride two nights prior. According to media reports, on Sunday, February 27, 2022, around 4:20 am, a woman visiting Miami from Texas ordered a Lyft ride from a Wynwood bar to the Berkeley Shore Hotel in Miami Beach, where she was staying.
Kevyn Rojas arrived to pick her up in a Mitsubishi Galant a few minutes later. The victim told Miami-Dade police that she got in the backseat of Rojas' car. Rojas commented on her blue dress in Spanish. During the drive back to her hotel, the victim fell asleep and woke up when she heard the arrival notification that went off on her phone's app. But Rojas drove past the hotel and parked the car nearby. Kevyn Rojas allegedly jumped into the backseat and got on top of the woman. He allegedly pulled her dress up, took off her underwear, and proceeded to rape her against her will. According to law enforcement records, she told him no and tried to stop his sexual advances, but she was too intoxicated and not as strong. After several minutes of the assault, Rojas got back into the driver's seat and took her back to her hotel. The woman immediately called the police, and Rojas was identified through her Lyft app trip history and city cameras near her hotel.
The arrest reports state that the surveillance footage was consistent with the victim's statement. Rojas was charged with sexual battery on a physically helpless victim. According to public records, he was also arrested in 2020 for aggravated assault, but the charges were dropped. A judge set his bond at $500,000, ordering him to stay away from the woman and turn over his Colombian and United States passports.
Lyft has permanently barred Rojas from its platform, a spokesperson confirmed, stating, "Safety is fundamental to Lyft, and the behavior described is appalling. 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."
A recent report released by Lyft revealed that the ridesharing platform received 4,158 reports of sexual assault between 2017 and 2019. During those three years, the company said there were 360 reports of rape and ten deaths by physical abuse.
Lyft customers have an expectation of proper vetting of their drivers for qualifications, as well as for safety. Many rideshare passengers are critical that Lyft has not employed technology to deter sexual misconduct and ensure the safety of their passengers. It is unacceptable that there are employees who take advantage of trusting riders and break the law.
Horowitz Law has filed numerous sexual assault claims on behalf of clients throughout the country. An employee of any company is never permitted to have unwanted sexual contact with a customer. If you have been a victim of sexual assault or sexual battery during an Uber or Lyft ride, or if you know someone who has, please contact our law firm at 954-641-2100 or send an e-mail to sexual abuse lawyer Adam Horowitz at adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com for a free consultation.