A woman in South Carolina has been accused of stabbing her Lyft driver 11 times before stealing his vehicle, and she was denied bail on Friday. Her attorney argued that she was undergoing a severe mental health crisis at the time of the incident.
Naziyha Weatherall faces multiple charges, including attempted murder and carjacking, related to an incident that occurred on April 22 in Greenville County.
During a bond hearing, prosecutors described the situation as a “frightening factual scenario” and expressed concerns about Weatherall being a significant threat to the community. “The victim was simply just trying to do his job and was stabbed 11 times,” one solicitor remarked. “Not only that, but his car was then stolen by this defendant.”
The driver’s wife attended the court hearing in place of her husband, who was too traumatized to be present. She shared her worries: “What concerns us most is that this happened while my husband was simply working. He wasn’t looking for a confrontation; he was providing a service. If this level of violence can occur to someone doing their job, it raises concerns for everyone’s safety in our community.”
Weatherall’s defense team urged the court to consider her mental state, highlighting that she had never faced criminal charges before and was in a heightened psychiatric crisis at the time. They indicated that she had been experiencing paranoia, believing that she was being watched and in danger, which led her to request a ride to report her fears to the police.
According to her attorney, “Her mother even called the police station to let them know she was on the way to make a report. Unfortunately, during that time, the crisis only escalated.” They also mentioned that Weatherall had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and faced other mental health issues.
The defense described her as stabilized and currently on medication, asking the court to consider releasing her to a treatment facility. Weatherall’s mother expressed regret to the driver’s family and implored the court to take her daughter’s mental condition into account. “She’s not a criminal. She would never, ever, harm anyone like that,” she said. “I completely understand the family’s pain. We’re all suffering here.”
The judge ordered Weatherall to undergo competency and psychological evaluations, which are set for September. In the meantime, bail was denied, and she will remain incarcerated.
Lyft confirmed that they have permanently banned the rider accounts involved and are cooperating with law enforcement. A spokesperson for Lyft stated, “Violence like this has no place in the Lyft community or society. The well-being of the driver has been our priority, and we’ve reached out to them and their family to provide support.”
