EspañolLyft Driver Fernando Morales (Full Name: Fernando Macias Morales) Arrested For Allegedly Sexually Assaulting Sleeping Lyft Passenger On Ride To Santa Monica
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (April 12, 2024) – A Lyft driver identified as Fernando Morales has been arrested for an alleged sexual assault of a passenger on a ride to Santa Monica.
Santa Monica police officials are saying that the assault took place on September 7, 2023. A woman was picked up at a restaurant in West Hollywood.
She fell asleep in the vehicle on the ride home. When she woke up, she told the police that the Lyft driver was touching her inappropriately.
Santa Monica police officials later identified the suspect as Fernando Morales and arrested him. He is currently being held on $500,000 bail.
Investigators said that they don’t know if there may be other victims. Fernando Morales has pleaded not guilty and faces 32 years to life in prison.
Liability For Los Angeles County Lyft Sexual Assault
Sexual assaults involving rideshare drivers are sadly all too common. According to National Public Radio, “Lyft received an increasing number of reports of sexual assault in recent years, including more than 1,800 in 2019, according to a safety report from the ride-hailing company. More than half of the assaults in 2019 were “non-consensual touching of a sexual body part” and another 156 involved non-consensual sexual penetration, according to the report.” Assault allegations involved a number of common factors.
- Victims are more likely to be women.
- Victims are more likely to be traveling by themselves.
- Many of the assaults involved passengers who were asleep or intoxicated.
- Many of the assaults involved forcible touching.
Depending on the facts of any case, Lyft or Uber could face civil liability if a passenger is sexually assaulted by a rideshare driver. Ridesharing companies like Lyft have a legal obligation to protect passengers from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. To this end, they must perform background checks on their drivers to weed out people with a criminal record. But the problem is that the background checks used by Lyft are far less strict than those used by other transit companies. Many of the lawsuits against Lyft allege that the company negligently hired or retained their driver. There are several elements that must be demonstrated in any negligent retention claim.
- The driver was unfit for their job or posed an unreasonable danger to passengers.
- The rideshare company knew or should have known about the danger that the driver posed.
- The unfit nature of the driver caused harm to the victim.
- The rideshare company’s negligent hiring or retention was a substantial factor in causing the harm.
Sexual assaults are often some of the most traumatic and harmful experiences that most people will ever go through. Victims of sexual assault often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. They are also at much greater risk for numerous chronic health conditions. Sadly, though, both Lyft and Uber have demonstrated that they will do everything in their power to deny liability for the actions of their drivers. This is why it is so crucial to seek experienced legal counsel early on after any instance of sexual assault involving a rideshare driver.
Getting Legal Help After Lyft Sexual Assault
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to all of the people who may have been impacted by the actions of Fernando Morales. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what took place. It is our sincere hope that Lyft and Uber will both do their part and implement greater measures to protect passengers and the public.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver? You may have legal recourse. Our team of experienced California Lyft sexual assault lawyers is here for you. We are committed to helping survivors and holding rideshare companies accountable for their negligent actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we may be able to help you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
