Fort Wayne, IN Lyft Driver Takes Plea Deal in Sexual Assault Case

A Fort Wayne Lyft driver accused of sexually assaulting a passenger has accepted a plea deal, resolving criminal charges tied to a December 2024 incident.

Abdul Rahim Nordin, 40, was initially charged with rape after a woman reported being sexually assaulted during a Lyft ride. According to court records, the victim and a friend ordered a ride home from work. After dropping off the friend, the victim requested another Lyft to her home, with Nordin remaining as the driver.

Police say Nordin began touching the passenger and making sexual advances during the ride. Court documents allege he took the victim’s phone and drove to the Coliseum Inn, where surveillance footage reportedly showed him booking a room using his identification. The footage also captured what investigators described as a struggle, with the victim holding her arms out in resistance.

The victim told police that Nordin briefly left the vehicle, returned, and attempted to persuade her to go to a motel room. When she refused, she reported that he continued sexually assaulting her and tried to force her out of the car before ultimately driving her home.

Nordin pleaded guilty Friday to an added charge of sexual battery in exchange for two years of probation, with the original rape charge dismissed as part of the agreement. He is scheduled to be formally sentenced early next month.

The plea deal comes in the same week that federal judges consolidated Lyft passenger sexual assault lawsuits into a single proceeding in the Northern District of California.

That decision allows federal cases from across the country to move forward together during early stages, focusing on shared allegations that Lyft failed to adequately screen drivers, respond to complaints, and implement meaningful safety protections for passengers.