A 17-year-old North Carolina teen is back home recovering after jumping out of her Lyft ride after becoming suspicious about her driver.
Eziya Bowden was heading home after work before jumping out of the moving vehicle, which landed her a trip to the emergency room hospital bruised up instead.
The teen tells ABC 11 News that she became suspicious immediately after jumping into the car as the driver started making remarks about her looks, even going as far as to say he would date her if it weren’t for her young age.
“How many boys flirted with you? He said that right away,” she recalls the driver asked.
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But it wasn’t just his questions that made her feel uncomfortable. She also felt a strange sensation over her body.
“If I’m riding with a stranger, I’m always nervous, but I knew this was different. I knew that I wasn’t going crazy or anything. I knew that my body had never felt like that before. I’ve seen a lot of this, so I knew I was feeling drugged,” says Bowden.
According to Bowden, the car smelled like cigarettes prompting the driver to spray something to mask the odor. But he kept spraying, which she claims left her feeling warm and disoriented.
“For you to keep spraying it, then roll your windows up, like, I know how it’s not about me being nervous or anything,” said Bowden. I’m like, I know how it made me feel.”
Acting Fast
Bowden knew she had to act fast. Fearing the worst if she fell asleep, she removed herself from an uncomfortable situation by jumping out of the car.
Her suspicions may have been correct. She says the driver didn’t stop and instead called the police pretending to be a witness to the entire ordeal.
Luckily for this rider, while she has bruises on her face, she didn’t break any bones and made it home safely!
What Lyft Is Saying
A spokesperson for Lyft says the company is aware of the driver’s concerning behavior and has blocked his access to the platform. The ridesharing company is also prepared to work and support any Raleigh law enforcement investigation.
At this time, the driver has not been charged with anything related to the incident. As for Bowden, she doesn’t plan to use ridesharing services again.