Lyft faces a wrongful-death and negligence lawsuit after a ride transported Ewen Dewitt, who reportedly entered the vehicle carrying a large ax and acting aggressively, to a suburban condo where he killed his ex-girlfriend, Julie Minogue, in 2022. The family alleges the visible weapon, intoxication, and erratic behavior would indicate a crime and that the driver, as Lyft's agent, furthered the crime by delivering Dewitt. A federal judge denied Lyft's motion to dismiss, allowing the complaint to move forward. Dewitt pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years. The family also sued Milford and its police department for alleged inadequate response to harassment complaints and a recent restraining order.
Court documents sum up its claim: Plaintiffs argue that carrying a large ax to a suburban condo at night, while intoxicated and acting strangely' is enough to indicate to a reasonable person that a crime was in progress, and that more than simply doing nothing, Lyft through their assigned driver, furthered the progression of the crime by chauffeuring the murder[er] to his intended victim.'
After a 25-mile ride that included a stop at a liquor store, Dewitt killed Minogue, striking her at least a dozen times with the ax in the presence of two of her children, then ages 17 and 3. The younger child is Dewitt's son. In March of this year, Dewitt, 45, pleaded guilty in a deal under which he was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
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