Passenger Takes Lyft Driver’s Vehicle by Force in Studio City

STUDIO CITY, LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18 (KNN) — A Lyft driver was the victim of grand theft auto Wednesday morning when his passenger took his vehicle by force.

The incident occurred around 3:50 a.m. in front of The Fox and Hounds located in the 11000 block of Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. The victim was driving his passenger to an unknown location when for unknown reasons, they came to a stop to change destinations.

The passenger turned suspect and for reasons unknown, began to physically assault the victim. The suspect then got into the driver’s seat and drove away leaving the Lyft driver on Ventura Boulevard.

Dash cam video from south of the incident possibly captured the victim’s vehicle with the suspect driving southbound on Ventura Boulevard toward Hollywood.

The suspect’s hat was also recovered at the location where the vehicle was taken. The victim’s vehicle is described as a silver Toyota Prius with a Pink Lyft light and a dent in the driver’s side door. Suspect is described as a Black male approximately 25 years of age.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s North Hollywood Division is handling the investigation.

Zak Holman, Video Journalist / KNN