Cary Lyft Driver Charged With Kidnapping, Sexual Battery of Raleigh Passenger

Ryan James Davey, a 30-year-old Cary man who worked as a Lyft driver, was arrested Wednesday and charged with felony kidnapping and sexual battery after a Raleigh passenger reported he grabbed her face and forced a kiss on her during a ride along Rock Quarry Road.

Raleigh police booked Davey into the Wake County jail on April 1 following the alleged incident the previous day. The charges against him include felony kidnapping, sexual battery, indecent exposure, driving while impaired, resisting a public officer and open container violations.

According to arrest warrants, Davey exposed himself inside the vehicle during the March 31 trip. When officers confronted him, he refused to cooperate. Police found an open container of alcohol in the vehicle, and a breath test registered 0.10, above North Carolina's legal limit of 0.08.

The passenger, who asked not to be identified, described the experience directly: "I feel violated. I'm scared for my life now."

Lyft moved quickly after the incident became public, permanently removing Davey from its platform and contacting the passenger to offer support. The company described his alleged conduct as "appalling" and said it would not be tolerated.

The pairing of a felony kidnapping count with suspected impairment while driving significantly elevates the criminal stakes. Felony kidnapping in North Carolina carries substantial prison exposure depending on offense classification, and the sexual battery count adds to that potential sentence if the state prevails at trial.

Raleigh police are continuing to investigate and urged anyone with additional information to contact investigators directly. Davey's case is expected to proceed through Wake County's criminal courts following his initial appearances.