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A Lyft driver has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault for a late-August 2024 incident that occurred in the Salt Lake Valley, KSL-TV news channel 5 reported yesterday.
The driver, 26-year-old Alejandro Rendon Segovia, allegedly picked up a 19-year-old woman for a Lyft ride arranged by her cousin. Although Segovia appeared to end the ride near her home in Sandy, he reportedly kept driving her around for hours while acting erratically, swerving on the highway, yelling, and hitting himself in the face. According to court documents, he told the woman she was “like all the other girls” during the ride. She eventually escaped and made it home on foot approximately four hours later. A medical exam later revealed bruising and other signs consistent with assault.
Police say the incident came to light in court documents filed in August 2024, and the case has raised broader concerns about rideshare safety. Investigators noted that Segovia also worked as a food delivery driver, and they suspect there could be additional victims.
“We are concerned that perhaps this isn’t the only time this has ever happened,” said Sandy Police Sgt. Greg Moffitt during an interview with KSL TV. “If that is true, if somebody did ever have a ride from this person through Lyft, we would like to hear from you if you had some sort of similar circumstance.”
A Lyft spokesperson told KSL that Segovia has been removed from the platform and that the company is cooperating fully with law enforcement. “Safety is fundamental to Lyft, and these allegations are deeply troubling,” the spokesperson said. “We have been in contact with the ride requester to offer our support and are assisting law enforcement.”
The incident echoes similar stories from rideshare survivors. Angela Lang, who experienced a separate alleged assault involving a different rideshare driver, shared her perspective. “For me, I don’t think I took enough time to process it when it happened, because I was caught up keeping myself busy trying not to think about what had happened,” Lang said. “At some point, the magnitude of what happened to me set in, but [there was] a lot of self-care, a lot of patience, a lot of learning about what I could have done differently, what I would have done differently, what safety measures I could take in the future as a survivor who still takes rideshare periodically.”
Lang now shares what she has learned in hopes of helping others. Her safety tips include researching rideshare platforms beforehand, avoiding rides alone, double-checking vehicle and driver info, verifying child lock settings, sitting in the back seat, and maintaining contact with a trusted friend during the ride.
Sgt. Moffitt echoed the importance of active communication, advising riders to remain on a call or video chat when feeling unsafe. “You want to stop, and you want to get out of the car and they’re denying you of that right, then we have a crime that’s being committed,” Moffitt said. “Call us.”
If you or someone you know experienced sexual assault by a Lyft driver, you may have legal optons. Learn your rights by visiting Lyft Driver Sexual Assault Lawsuit Guide.
