Passenger accused of beating Lyft driver

STAMFORD — Police say a man has been arrested in the assault of a Lyft driver who has filed a complaint against the ride-share company for the 2021 incident.

Andre Lecky, 25, of Stamford, turned himself in Friday on a warrant charging him with second-degree assault of an elderly person, Stamford Police Lt. Tom Scanlon said. He was held on a $75,000 bond and is expected to appear Monday in state Superior Court in Stamford.

Stuart Berman, who worked as a Lyft driver, filed a demand for arbitration in connection with the beating he sustained during the incident. The Wilton resident is among 17 plaintiffs who have filed complaints against Lyft for failing to protect them from physical or sexual assault.

According to police, Berman picked up Lecky at an apartment complex in Stamford on Sept. 17, 2021.

As Berman neared the destination, Berman, who is white, heard the passenger say, “pull over,” followed by a racial slur usually directed at Black people, according to the arbitration demand. Without warning, the passenger then started punching Berman in the face and head, inflicting serious injuries that still inhibit his functioning, the complaint stated.

Lecky is accused of hitting the driver about eight times before getting out of the car and running away.

According to the arbitration demand, Berman suffered a broken nose and a blood vessel burst in his brain from the assault.

When Berman notified Lyft of the assault, the company offered him $750, according to his complaint. He is seeking compensation from Lyft for financial, physical and emotional damages.

“We’re committed to helping keep drivers and riders safe,” a Lyft spokesperson said. “While safety incidents on our platform are incredibly rare, we realize that even one is too many. Our goal is to make every Lyft ride as safe as possible, and we will continue to take action and invest in technology, policies and partnerships to do so.”