A South Carolina woman will stay in jail after authorities say she stabbed a Lyft driver 11 times and then drove off in his car.
Naziyha La’Nay Weatherall, 22, allegedly ordered a Lyft on April 22 from the Greenville County apartment complex where she lived.
When the rideshare driver arrived, police say Weatherall walked up to him, stabbed him 11 times in the head, seized control of his vehicle and fled the scene.
The injured Lyft driver was later discovered near Haywood Road and East North Street with serious wounds and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Weatherall has since been charged with carjacking resulting in bodily injury and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to Greenville County jail records reviewed by Law&Crime.
Prosecutors described the alleged attack during a Friday court hearing, detailing how what began as a routine rideshare pickup in Greenville County spiraled into a violent encounter.
The driver’s wife addressed the court on his behalf, saying that more than four months after the stabbing, her husband continues to suffer physically and emotionally and was too shaken to appear in person.
Naziyha La’Nay Weatherall, 22, is accused of repeatedly stabbing a South Carolina Lyft driver during the April attack
His family says he suffered 11 stab wounds and spent time in intensive care following the attack. They added that despite recovering, the attack has left lasting emotional scars
‘The alleged conduct was extremely violent,’ she said, adding that he was ‘attacked vehemently with a knife, resulting in 11 stab wounds to multiple areas of his body.’
‘What concerns us most is that happened while my husband was simply working. He was not looking for any confrontation, he was providing a service to a person,’ the wife continued.
‘If this level of violence could happen to someone who was simply doing his job, we are concerned about potential risks to other people in our community.’
The defense attempted to rebut the charges, emphasizing that Weatherall had no prior criminal convictions and was undergoing a ‘mental health crisis’ citing several diagnoses.
According to WHNS, at the time of the attack Weatherall was volatile, dealing with schizophrenia and was suffering from severe and frequent hallucinations.
Weatherall had called the Lyft intending to go to a nearby police station and report what she believed she was going on.
‘Her mother even called the police station to let them know she was on the way to make a report’, a defense attorney stated. ‘During that the crisis got worse. She was undergoing a delusion in which she believed she was being trafficked and panicked.’
The defense noted that Weatherall has since been medicated and is currently stable and competent, but argued ‘the things she said need to be looked at’ regarding the incident itself.
The driver was located later suffering serious injuries near the intersection of Haywood Road and East North Street and rushed to hospital
Weatherall’s attorney said the 22-year-old had no prior criminal record and was experiencing a severe mental-health crisis at the time of the alleged attack. According to her defense, Weatherall believed she was being watched and was in danger
Weatherall remains behind bars without bond as the case moves forward. She is expected to undergo a psychological evaluation as the court considers her mental state at the time of the alleged attack. She faces charges including attempted murder, carjacking resulting in bodily injury and possession of a weapon during a violent crime
The defense requested bond so Weatherall’s family and social worker could secure her placement in a dedicated treatment facility.
Weatherall’s mother made an emotional plea to the court, apologizing to the victim’s family and imploring the judge to grant bond.
‘She’s not a criminal. She would never, ever, ever hurt anybody like that,’ Weatherall’s mother said. ‘And I understand the family’s side, I truly do, because we are all suffering. We all are.’
But prosecutors have emphasized the severity of the alleged violence and the danger they believe she poses.
The driver’s injuries were extensive. Lyft responded to the incident on April 22, saying the driver’s wellbeing was its priority and that the company was working to support him and his family. The company also said the rider accounts involved had been permanently removed and that it was assisting law enforcement.
The judge remained unconvinced and denied Weatherall bond, stating that she must endure a psychological evaluation next month and will be held till then.
