Myrtle Beach SC Lyft driver arrested for attacking his female passenger. She’s now suing
A 19-year-old college student is accusing a Lyft driver of sexually assaulting her after a ride back to her Conway apartment.
She is now suing him and Lyft, doing business as Lyft Drives South Carolina, the company he was a driver with.
The man, MD Soriful Islam, 32, of Myrtle Beach, was arrested by police a few days after the alleged incident on charges of third-degree assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct.
A message left with Lyft was returned with an automatic response and a representative had not returned the message as of publication. An email sent to Islam also was not immediately returned.
The woman’s name is not revealed in the suit, only listing her as Jane Doe.
Doe, a full-time student pursing a bachelor’s degree in biology, was out with roommates on Oct. 21, 2023, at the Crooked Floor Tavern, located on Highway 544 in Conway, according to the suit filed March 4. A little after midnight, Doe got tired and decided she wanted to go home.
She logged on to the Lyft app and ordered a ride to take her to her apartment, which was about 1 1/2 miles from the tavern.
Islam, who was using the Lyft app as a driver, accepted Doe’s ride request and picked her up at 12:52 a.m. on Oct. 22, 2023, the suit said.
Doe sat in the front passenger seat of the vehicle and Islam immediately began making “unwanted, concerning and repetitive sexually suggestive remarks” to Doe, according to the suit.
Islam missed the first turn into Doe’s apartment complex and disregarded the GPS directions, in addition to Doe’s notice that the turn was approaching. Because of Islam’s suggestive comments and his deviation from the set route, “Jane Doe became increasingly concerned for her safety,” the suit said.
Doe informed the driver that there was another route ahead that would also lead to her apartment. Islam made the turn and pulled into an empty parking space near Doe’s apartment building. Once he put the the vehicle in park, Islam grabbed Doe’s arm and forcefully and repeatedly demanded “kiss me” to Doe, the suit said.
Doe tried to push Islam away while retreating. Islam locked the doors to the vehicle so that she could not escape and began groping Doe’s leg, moving upward between her legs, the suit said.
Doe was eventually able to get the door unlocked and escape finally, the suit said.
Once in her apartment, Doe notified police. She also notified Lyft of the sexual assault.
Lyft responded with the following message: “We received your phone support request. Lyft won’t match you with this driver again. Thanks for letting us know,” according to the suit.
Lyft refunded Doe’s fare but has not contacted her regarding the incident or update her on whether Lyft has initiated an investigation into the assault, the suit said.
The suit said that the Lyft company was negligent in its hiring, training and supervision of its drivers. It accused the company of creating such situations by matching drivers with riders who are strangers to one another and failing to require cameras to be placed in drivers’ vehicles to record interactions.
The company also fails to conduct comprehensive background screenings on prospective drivers, instead performing the bare minimum required by law.
It is unclear if Islam is still driving for Lyft. It also is unclear if Islam has any prior complaints with the company.
He was released from the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on a $30,000 bond.
This story was originally published March 8, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
