A South Carolina judge has denied bond for Naziyha La’Nay Weatherall, 22, who is accused of stabbing a Lyft driver 11 times and stealing his car in Greenville County.
The attack took place around 2:30 p.m. on April 22 when the driver arrived at an apartment complex to pick up a requested ride. Authorities reported that Weatherall stabbed the driver repeatedly, stole the vehicle, and was taken into custody later that day. The victim survived after being treated at a local hospital. Weatherall faces charges of attempted murder, carjacking resulting in bodily injury, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
At a bond hearing on Friday, Aug. 28, the driver’s wife spoke on his behalf, stating he was still too shaken to attend.
“The alleged conduct was extremely violent,” she told the court. “The person was attacked vehemently with a knife, resulting in 11 stab wounds to multiple areas of his body. That demonstrates a level of violence that is deeply concerning for public safety.”
Weatherall’s defense attorney argued his client was experiencing delusions linked to diagnosed schizophrenia and had ordered the ride to seek help at a police station. Weatherall’s mother also apologized to the victim’s family, stating, “She’s not a criminal. She would never, ever, ever hurt anybody like that.”
In response to the incident, a Lyft spokesperson said, “Violence like this has no place in the Lyft community or in our society,” adding that the rider’s account has been permanently removed.
Weatherall will remain in custody pending a psychological evaluation in September.
Attacks against rideshare drivers have drawn growing scrutiny across the industry in recent years. While major platforms note that more than 99% of trips occur without incident, safety disclosures published by both Uber and Lyft document dozens of fatal physical assaults and thousands of assault allegations nationwide.
In platform safety reports covering recent operational years, Uber recorded 36 fatal physical assaults and Lyft reported 23 fatal assaults, with driver fatalities frequently linked to carjackings and vehicle theft attempts.
The risks have led driver advocacy groups to push for stronger protections, including required in-cabin cameras and verified rider identification protocols.
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