Cleveland Lyft driver Andy Bryson says what should have been a routine downtown pickup turned violent in seconds, leaving him with a black eye, a sore jaw and scraped knees after he was punched over and over and briefly knocked out. The attack has rattled rideshare drivers already on edge after a pair of deadly Lyft shootings earlier this month, and Bryson says the ordeal has changed how he plans to work from here on out.
In an I-Team report, FOX8 said Bryson was attacked off St. Clair Avenue near downtown and suffered a contusion near his eye along with bruises, a sore jaw and scraped knees. According to the station, Cleveland police arrested two suspects, while Lyft permanently removed the rider from its platform and is offering support to Bryson. He told the station he was punched repeatedly and briefly lost consciousness during the assault.
Two Deadly Cases Weeks Earlier
This latest case comes on the heels of two deadly incidents in Cleveland, where two Lyft drivers were shot and killed in separate attacks roughly 36 hours apart, setting off citywide alarm among drivers and riders. WOIO reported on both killings and Lyft’s initial responses. Homicide detectives later made arrests and secured an indictment in one of the cases, and News 5 Cleveland reported that two 17-year-olds were arrested in the other fatal shooting.
Drivers Rework How They Work
Across Cleveland, drivers say the string of attacks has them rethinking everything from late-night shifts to how and where they pick up riders, in a pattern that mirrors a national rise in carjackings and assaults on ride-hail workers. The Markup documented dozens of carjackings of Uber and Lyft drivers and noted that many involved fake profiles or anonymous payment methods. Bryson told FOX8, “I’ll keep the doors locked and drive away,” a short line he said sums up a new level of caution on the job.
Investigations and Legal Moves
Police say the investigations into the recent attacks remain active, and prosecutors are working through the usual charging steps. WOIO reported that a Garfield Heights man was indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury in one of the February killings, and detectives say the teenagers in the other fatal case remain in custody awaiting charges. Authorities are asking anyone with information about any of the incidents to contact investigators…