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Lyft driver arrested after reportedly kidnapping Phoenix woman
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Lyft driver arrested after reportedly kidnapping Phoenix woman

PHOENIX (AZ Family) —A Phoenix woman is anonymously sharing with others her terrifying experience of being reportedly kidnapped by a Lyft driver on Wednesday.

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

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

The mother of two says she’s been taking Lyft rides for weeks to get around after her car recently broke down. He said he would be off a 10-hour shift when he requested a ride from a nearby store. 48th Street and Broadway Road.

After picking him up, the driver asked him about his plans for the day. The woman told him, “We will pick up my children from nursery. “I have two disabled children waiting for me there.”

He fell asleep sometime during the journey, but when he woke up he was nearby. 35th Street and Bell Roadmiles away from where it was left.

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

After the man stopped and let her out, she quickly called 911. The woman told the officer the situation about Levon.

“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, dead. So I took out my cutter and told him, ‘I’m not going out like this.’ I will fight. Because this can’t happen to me right now. “If I can’t take my sons, they will have no one left,” he said.

Levon eventually released him onto a dirt lot in the West Valley. He 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 victim shared that he has not returned to work since all this 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 for a car, but it’s hard. It’s very hard.”

Levon has been released from prison and will appear in court again at the end of this month.

A Lyft spokesperson shared the following statement:

“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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