FOLLOW US

Colorado state representative Jenny Willford filed a lawsuit against Lyft Inc. in state court on Monday, accusing the ride-hailing company of failing to prevent a sexual assault by a driver who was allegedly using the profile of another man. The incident reportedly took place during a ride to Willford's home in February 2024.

Willford, a Democrat representing Colorado's 34th district, claims that the driver made sexually inappropriate comments and subjected her to nonconsensual touching and lewd remarks. She says that she was alone in the vehicle and felt physically trapped. After exiting the car, Willford walked to another location to avoid revealing her home address.

According to the lawsuit, Willford reported the assault to Lyft, but the company’s response was limited to ensuring she would not be matched with the driver again and issuing a refund for the $85 fare.

The lawsuit further alleges that the driver, identified as Kholmurod Halimov (also known by the alias "Shanu"), had a troubling background, including charges in 2015 for child abuse and reckless bodily injury, as well as a 2022 traffic infraction. Willford claims that had Lyft conducted annual background checks, they would have discovered that Halimov pled guilty in August to "knowingly or willfully menacing" another individual, resulting in probation and anger management requirements.

Willford’s lawsuit names both Lyft and Halimov's transportation company, Shanu Transportation, Inc., as defendants. She is accusing Lyft and Shanu of negligence, negligent supervision, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and other claims such as civil fraud and false imprisonment. In addition, she alleges that Lyft violated the Colorado Consumer Protection Act and is liable for defective product liability.

Willford claims that the assault has caused her ongoing emotional distress, including anxiety and a loss of personal safety. She also accuses Lyft of failing to address the broader issue of sexual assault on its platform, which she says is a systematic problem in all the locations where the company operates. Furthermore, Willford points to a pattern of identity theft and fake profiles used by unauthorized drivers on Lyft's platform.

Lyft, based in San Francisco, has faced other sexual assault lawsuits in the past, including several in California in 2022 alleging inadequate background checks. The company is currently facing a lawsuit in California over a rape case, and a similar lawsuit was recently filed in Connecticut. Lyft has denied the allegations and emphasized that safety is a priority, stating that incidents of sexual assault are taken very seriously, with prompt investigations and cooperation with law enforcement.