She says she was raped by a Lyft driver had a child. Now she’s suing

A Florida woman sued Lyft earlier this month, alleging that she was raped by her Lyft driver in 2019 and that the assault resulted in the birth of her third child. The suit is the latest in a string of sexual assault allegations involving the company.

A Florida woman sued Lyft earlier this month, alleging that she was raped by her Lyft driver in 2019 and that the assault resulted in the birth of her third child. The suit is the latest in a string of sexual assault allegations involving the company. Lyft has pushed back on the allegations in the lawsuit, telling CNN in a statement that the alleged assault took place during an “off-app” ride hours after an official Lyft ride with the same driver. The company also said it only became aware of the alleged incident years after it took place. Plaintiff Tabatha Means stated that what she had hoped would be a short ride back to where she was staying after a night out quickly became uncomfortable when the driver asked her to sit in the front seat, and then began complimenting and inappropriately touching her, according to the complaint filed January 10 in California Northern District Court. When they arrived at her destination, the driver allegedly insisted on helping her inside, “purportedly due to her intoxication,” and despite her protests. Once inside, he assaulted her repeatedly, the complaint states. Means’ lawsuit is just the latest legal action against a rideshare company over alleged sexual assault or misconduct. Lyft — like its competitor Uber — has faced dozens of lawsuits over the issue. While much of the civil litigation against the company remains ongoing, Lyft has denied the allegations against it. Separately, at least a handful of Lyft drivers accused of sexual assault have been convicted in criminal cases. The suit also comes as some states have sought to implement tighter safety restrictions for rideshare companies, as well as increased protections for the companies’ drivers. Illinois lawmakers last year proposed a bill that would hold Uber and Lyft to a higher safety standard, which the companies opposed.