Police say a passenger was assaulted during a trip in Raleigh, and the driver was later ordered held without bond pending a court hearing this month.
RALEIGH, NC — A Cary rideshare driver is accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a passenger during a trip in Raleigh this week, leading to a string of criminal charges and a court order keeping him in custody without bond, authorities said.
Ryan James Davey, 30, was arrested Wednesday after investigators said a Tuesday ride turned into a violent encounter inside his vehicle. Police and court records say Davey, identified as a Lyft driver, is charged with felony kidnapping, driving while impaired, sexual battery, indecent exposure, having an open container and resisting a public officer. The case quickly drew attention because it involved a rideshare trip, a passenger who said she feared for her life, and a new North Carolina pretrial law that prosecutors said applied because the allegations include a violent offense.
According to arrest records, the alleged assault happened during a ride in Raleigh and involved a black Kia driven by Davey. Investigators say the passenger was unable to leave freely once the encounter escalated. Court documents accuse Davey of grabbing the rider’s face and forcing her to kiss him against her will. The rider, who was not publicly identified, later described the encounter in blunt terms, saying he pulled at her clothing and tried to kiss her while she fought him off. She said the situation became more frightening when he accelerated the car instead of stopping. The route described in the charging papers includes Rock Quarry Road in Raleigh, where officers say part of the incident unfolded. The rider said she had used Lyft before and had been trying to go get food for her children after work when the trip took a sudden turn.
The charging documents outline a series of alleged acts beyond the kidnapping count. Police say Davey exposed himself inside the car while the passenger was in the vehicle. He is also accused of drinking while driving and of having an open container in the car. After officers arrived, authorities said, Davey refused to provide his driver’s license and did not comply with commands. The rider told local television reporters she recorded video as police arrested him. She said she was shaken by what happened and had not slept afterward. Some facts remain unclear, including exactly where the rider was picked up, how long the trip had been underway before the alleged assault began, and whether investigators believe any other riders may have had similar encounters. As of Thursday, police had not publicly announced any additional alleged victims or released further narrative details about the trip timeline.
The case has also raised questions about rideshare screening and passenger safety, though officials have not alleged any wider company misconduct in this investigation. Lyft said in a statement that the reported behavior was “appalling” and said the company had contacted the rider to offer support after learning of the allegations. The company also said Davey was permanently removed from the Lyft platform and that it would assist law enforcement. Public reporting on Davey’s record showed prior traffic-related charges, including earlier DWI and licensing matters, prompting new scrutiny over how rideshare background reviews work and what information may be weighed when a driver is approved. Those broader questions are likely to remain separate from the criminal case itself, which will turn on witness statements, officer testimony, video, and whatever physical or digital evidence investigators collect from the trip, the vehicle and the rideshare account records.
At his first court appearance Wednesday, Davey was ordered held without bond under North Carolina’s recently enacted Iryna’s Law, according to comments made in court and local coverage of the hearing. The law changed pretrial release rules in violent-offense cases and can create a presumption against release unless a defendant shows he is not a danger to the public. A Wake County prosecutor said in court that the sexual assault allegation placed the case within that framework. Davey is scheduled to return to court April 22. The criminal charges announced so far are accusations, and the case will next move through the normal pretrial stages, including review by prosecutors, possible presentation of more evidence, and decisions about whether any counts are amended, added or reduced. Investigators may also seek rideshare records, dispatch timelines, body-camera footage and laboratory evidence if they have not already done so.
Even in its early stage, the case has carried a strong emotional impact because of the setting: a routine rideshare trip that the passenger said turned into a struggle inside a moving car. Her comments to local reporters captured that fear in simple language. She said she felt violated and said she was scared for her life. She also said she did not know whether the driver would rape her or leave her injured somewhere remote. Those remarks, while not evidence by themselves, help explain why the allegations drew immediate public concern. Police have not released a detailed incident report laying out every minute of the encounter, and defense arguments have not yet been aired in open court beyond the initial appearance. For now, the public record is built mostly from arrest warrants, police identification of the driver and the rider’s first public account after the arrest.
The case remained at the charging stage Thursday, with Davey in custody and his next listed court date set for April 22. The next milestone is likely to be a fuller court hearing or updated filing that clarifies the evidence investigators plan to rely on as the prosecution moves forward.
Author note: Last updated April 2, 2026.