Christ Hospital sued over 911 call alleging abduction by Lyft driver
A Lyft driver is suing Cincinnati’s Christ Hospital after he says an employee there called 911 and wrongly reported that he had abducted a patient he was hired to drive to Wilmington, Ohio.
The driver, C. William Harper II, ended up being pulled over by Ohio State Highway Patrol during the January 2023 ride. Harper – an ordained minister who the lawsuit describes as a large Black man – was handcuffed and forced to stand in the cold and rain, the lawsuit says, while police verified that he hadn’t abducted anyone.
Here’s what happened, according to the lawsuit:
At about 5 p.m. Jan. 18, 2023, a female social worker at Christ Hospital sought a Lyft ride for a patient.
The request went to Harper, and when Harper arrived at the hospital, he learned that the patient’s destination was Wilmington, about 50 miles away. Because of the distance and the fact that Harper would not likely get a return ride to Cincinnati, making it unprofitable, Harper immediately declined it, the lawsuit says.
The social worker then asked Harper how much additional money he would need to drive the patient to Wilmington, and Harper said $20. According to the lawsuit, she agreed to pay using the online payment system, Cash App.
Harper didn’t use Cash App, so he arranged for his daughter to receive the $20 transfer.
While driving the patient north on Interstate 71, Harper called his daughter to confirm that the money had been transferred, and she told him she hadn’t received the $20.
Harper said he then called the hospital, but the social worker wanted Harper to talk to her supervisor.
Lawsuit: Driver accused of extortion, abduction
According to the lawsuit, the supervisor “was immediately belligerent, loud and verbally abusive” toward Harper, accusing him of blackmail, extortion – and abduction. Harper said he ended the call after the supervisor directed numerous profanities at him.
Harper continued to drive the patient toward Wilmington, and after taking some time to “cool off,” he called the supervisor.
The lawsuit says the second conversation also deteriorated, with the supervisor calling him a “kidnapper” and accusing him of holding the patient hostage. The supervisor told him to return the patient to the hospital.
But the lawsuit says Harper felt sympathy for the patient, who wasn’t responsible for the dispute with the hospital, and ultimately decided to drive the patient to Wilmington.
The supervisor, however, called 911, telling a call-taker that the Lyft driver had refused to drive the patient back to the hospital or to the patient's home.
"The driver was basically, like, trying to exploit us for money. ... We’re, like, 'We’re not going to pay you,'" the supervisor said in the 911 call, adding that he didn't know where the driver was taking the patient.
The Lyft driver, he said, kept calling back, trying to explain himself.
"We’re in a situation, we can’t make this guy drop him off and, like, we’re not going to pay him more money," the supervisor said. "He’s refusing to bring him back to the hospital."
When Harper reached the Wilmington exit, he was pulled over by State Highway Patrol, handcuffed and detained for at least 45 minutes before being released, the lawsuit says.
Lawsuit alleges defamation, fraud
A spokesman for Christ Hospital said the hospital does not comment on pending litigation.
Harper’s attorney, Tom Condit, told The Enquirer: “Social workers have too much power in our society, and they need to be held accountable.”
The lawsuit, which was filed Jan. 9 in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, is seeking damages in excess of $25,000. It alleges defamation, fraud and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Christ Hospital sued over 911 call alleging abduction by Lyft driver
