'I was afraid for my life'

Phoenix (KPHO/Gray News) – An Arizona woman says she’s sharing her terrifying experience with others after being kidnapped by a Lyft driver.

Its driver, Judge Levon, was arrested on Wednesday. The man is accused of kidnapping the woman as she dozed in the backseat during the 45-minute journey.

Judge Levon was arrested for allegedly kidnapping a Phoenix woman while driving a Lyft.(Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)

“That day it seemed normal at first and then it took a left turn,” he said.

The mother of two, who wishes to remain anonymous, says she has been taking Lyft rides for weeks to get around after her car recently broke down. He said he was off a 10-hour shift when he requested a ride at a store near 48th Street and Broadway Road.

After picking her up, the driver reportedly asked her about her plans for the day. She said he told her: “We are going to pick up my children from nursery. “I have two disabled children waiting for me there.”

He said he fell asleep at one point during the trip, but when he woke up he was miles away from the drop-off location, near 35th Street and Bell Road.

“Then I said, ‘Hey sir, you missed my stop. I fell asleep. I’m glad I woke up,’ and he was talking to himself: ‘God, God, I’m doing it, okay?’”

After the man stopped and didn’t let her out, she said she immediately called 911 and explained the situation to the dispatcher.

“I feared for my life. I told the dispatcher I didn’t know what was going to happen. “I don’t know what his intentions are,” the woman said.

It took police about 20 minutes to reach the woman.

“My phone was dying and it died. “I was there with him when he was dead,” he said. “I just said I’m not going out like this. I’m going to fight because this can’t happen to me right now. If I don’t get my sons, they’ll have no one.”

The driver dropped him off at a dirt lot in the western part of town. He reportedly told police he thought the victim was “the voice in his head” and admitted that he had been diagnosed with schizoaffective and bipolar disorder.

The woman said she did not return to work after what happened.

“I don’t know what to do, you know? Because I’m working so far,” she said. “I’m doing my best to keep my job, take my kids where they need to go, and save money to buy a car, but it’s hard. It’s very hard.”

Levon has since been released from jail and is scheduled to appear in court later this month.

A Lyft spokesperson shared the following statement about the situation:

“Safety is very important to Lyft and the incident described is extremely disturbing. “We have permanently removed the driver from the Lyft platform, contacted the driver to offer support, and stand ready to assist law enforcement with any investigation.”

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