Pure terror on wheels: 3 violent jailbreakers kidnap Lyft driver in Georgia, strangle her, and force her to Florida – caught in dramatic takedown
Florida – Three criminals who escaped from a Georgia county jail turned their escape into a violent, multi-state ordeal by kidnapping a Lyft driver and forcing her to drive them to Florida, where they were finally caught after hours on the run.
Law enforcement said that Yusuf Minor, 31, Noad Yohannes, 25, and Stevenson Charles, 24, broke out of the DeKalb County Jail early on Monday morning. Officials added that their absence wasn’t noticed right away and was only found later during a normal security check. The investigators think that the delay provided the men enough time to find a ride and start heading south.
According to official documents, a car that was waiting near the jail picked up the escapees and took them to Minor’s girlfriend’s house. Authorities said she then called a Lyft ride for them. The driver, whose name has not been made public, took the men to a place in Atlanta. Prosecutors said that things got a lot worse after they got there.
According to investigators, the men attacked the driver, strangled her with a rope, tied her up, and made her go into the back seat of her own car. The criminals took possession of the car and started driving toward Florida, threatening the driver’s life several times along the way. According to court records, the woman tried to get away at one point during a stop but failed. After that failed attempt, the threats got worse, according to the police.
Later, the victim told the police that she was afraid she would be killed as the hours went by. Officials said that all three suspects were being held in Georgia on violent charges. Charles was charged with murder and attempted robbery. Minor had been in jail for armed robbery and gun charges, and Yohannes had been arrested for crimes like arson, simple assault, and violent acts performed while in jail.
The ordeal continued in South Florida, where police say the men stopped in Miramar and used the driver’s credit cards to pay for a short-term rental home. That deal ended up being a major piece of evidence in the case. Investigators noticed the strange charge and utilized license plate reader data to link the car to both the jailbreak and the supposed kidnapping.
Authorities added that Florida police later tried to pull over the car for a felony, but the driver sped away. At that point, just Charles and Yohannes were in the vehicle. In the end, the two left the car and ran away on foot. During the pursuit, Charles allegedly obtained a loaded 9mm handgun before both men were taken into custody.
The police then went to look at the rented property. At first, Minor didn’t answer, but authorities were able to reach him via an open window and told him to surrender. The Lyft driver who had been kidnapped was allowed to walk out unharmed, and Minor then turned himself up without further incident.
Officials described the victim as physically unharmed but deeply shaken.
“As you can imagine, the Lyft driver is very traumatized by this,” an official said.
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All three suspects were booked into the Broward County Jail and are expected to face additional charges related to the escape and kidnapping. They are currently being held for the U.S. Marshals Service, though it remains unclear when they will be extradited back to Georgia.
