An Arlington rideshare driver experienced a harrowing ordeal after being abducted by a passenger and forced to drive to Florida, according to federal court documents. In an incident beginning last Friday, the driver was commandeered at gunpoint and taken on a cross-country drive that spanned over 1,300 miles to Miami, said federal prosecutors. The driver, who remains unidentified for their safety, was reportedly kidnapped by Miguel Alejandro Pastran Hernandez after picking him up through the Lyft rideshare service, as stated in a federal criminal complaint, as per NBC DFW.
The incident unfolded shortly before 10:30 p.m. when the driver transported Pastran Hernandez to a gas station, only to have a gun pulled on them at the location. Despite attempting to mollify the kidnapper by offering any possessions within the car, the driver was threatened to be tied up and put in the trunk. Instead, Pastran Hernandez commanded the driver to embark on the lengthy journey, insisting they maintain the speed limit and avoid drawing attention, as cited by WFAA.
During the trip, Pastran Hernandez also forced the driver to call their children under the pretext of being on a "long work trip," to prevent any suspicion about their prolonged absence. This call was made around 11 a.m. the following day while passing through Louisiana. Court documents revealed that the driver had an unloaded 9mm handgun in the car, which Pastran Hernandez discovered and took possession of, along with the ammunition, according to NBC DFW.
Upon arriving in Miami Beach on Sunday, Aug. 18, the kidnapper began to surveil a potential second victim for another kidnapping, this time planning a $3 million ransom. It was during a subsequent shopping trip to a Dollar General store in Hialeah, Florida, on Monday, Aug. 19, that the driver managed to secrete themselves inside a bathroom and alert the authorities, leading to the capture of Pastran Hernandez three hours later in Hollywood, Florida. "We have reached out to the driver to offer our support, permanently banned the rider’s account from the Lyft platform, and are assisting law enforcement with their investigation," a Lyft spokesperson said, as per WFAA.
