FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — A Lyft driver was attacked early Sunday morning by a passenger after tearing down the plastic partition installed for COVID-19 protection, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to the intersection of Belle Terre Parkway and Royal Palm Parkway just after midnight Sunday after receiving calls regarding a fight in the street.
When they arrived, they found two men fighting. One of the men, later identified as 36-year-old Travis S. Smith, was on top of another man. Deputies separated the two.
While conducting individual interviews, deputies discovered that Smith, who was visibly intoxicated, told deputies that he, his friend and his friend’s 7-year-old child were traveling home from Flagler Beach via Lyft when the driver began driving recklessly.
Smith said to protect himself and his friends, he grabbed the driver and forced him to pull over when the altercation spilled over into the street.
The Lyft driver told deputies that Smith suddenly attacked him while he was driving the passengers home, and that Smith pulled down the plastic partition that was installed due to the COVID-19 virus and put the driver in a chokehold, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. The two exited the vehicle with the car still in drive, and the fight spilled onto the street.
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Witnesses near the intersection called 911 to report the physical altercation.
"This was a very dangerous situation for not only the people inside the vehicle but for the other motorists on the roadway," Sheriff Rick Staly said. "This drunk attacked an innocent driver and put numerous lives in danger. These rider-share services can quickly become dangerous and drivers should be cautious of who they let in their vehicle. Thankfully the video recording device captured the entire incident and he went to jail."
The Lyft driver suffered minor injuries. Smith was arrested and charged with battery and child abuse due to putting the 7-year-old’s life in jeopardy during the attack in a moving vehicle, according to deputies. He was released after posting $7,500 bond.
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