LAFAYETTE, LA – A 37-year-old woman, Denise Thomas, is being sought by Lafayette police after she reportedly kidnapped a Lyft driver at gunpoint with her five-year-old child present in the vehicle. The harrowing incident started when the Lyft driver picked up Thomas and her child on North University Avenue.
According to Sgt. Robin Green from the Lafayette Police Department, Thomas commandeered the driver’s phone and input her destination address. However, Thomas became agitated when the driver followed the route provided by the GPS, insisting that he was not headed in the correct direction.
Thomas produced a handgun and pointed it at the driver while instructing him to take her home. Fearing for his life, the driver attempted to disarm Thomas but was unable to do so. In a desperate bid to escape, the driver intentionally crashed his vehicle into a ditch on Acadian Hills Road.
He was able to escape from the car and got help from passersby who transported him to the nearest business center, where he raised the alarm. By the time the police arrived at the scene, Thomas and her child had fled. The incident has led Sgt. Green to issue a cautionary statement regarding ride-sharing services, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of passengers and the potential dangers involved.
An arrest warrant for aggravated kidnapping has been issued against Thomas. Law enforcement officials are asking for anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact the Lafayette Police Department.