OKC Police Arrest 2 Suspects Accused Of Kidnapping, Robbing Lyft Driver

Oklahoma City Police arrested two men accused of kidnapping and robbing a Lyft driver on Sunday morning in Bricktown.

Police said that the two men flagged down the driver and offered to pay him cash for a ride. However, it turned into much more than just a ride.

“Once the two were in the car, one of them pulled out a pistol, put it to the driver's head, and demanded that he drive them all the way to Durant,” said MSgt Gary Knight with the Oklahoma City Police Department. “He refused to do that.”

Instead, a police report reveals Jesse Alan Lawson and Christopher Hayes forced the victim to drive around the city with the gun pressed against his head.

“Obviously a very upsetting, frightening thing for the Lyft driver to pick up two people and suddenly have a gun against his head with somebody making demands as to where he's going to take them,” Knight said.

The report also notes one of the suspects, who was in the front passenger seat, said to the driver, "Now, listen to daddy, if you want to see your family again, do what you are told."

“They had him drive around for a period of time before dropping them off around the area of Northwest 30th Street and Portland Avenue,” Knight said.

Police said before leaving, the two stole the driver’s phone and $20 in cash. The driver went to a nearby convenience store to call the police.

“Officers actually spotted the two in the area of Northwest 30th Street and Portland Avenue, both of them fled on foot, and both were taken into custody at that point,” said Knight.

The report shows the Lyft driver told officers he was “scared” because the men "threatened to find him and his family and kill them if he called the police.”

Nobody was injured. Lawson and Hayes face multiple charges including kidnapping and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

News 9 reached out to Lyft for a statement but has not heard back. However, the company's website does offer safety advice for drivers, which includes verifying a rider's name before unlocking the vehicle.