Homestead man arrested for alleged battery and indecent exposure of disabled Lyft rider

Kevin Narvaez Cruz, 28, appeared in Homestead bond court on Tuesday facing charges related to a Halloween night incident. He is accused of burglary with assault or battery, battery on a disabled adult, and indecent exposure. Homestead Police arrested the local man on Monday.

The victim, a 28-year-old woman who has survived two strokes, said she called a Lyft on Halloween night to leave a friend's residence. She entered Cruz's vehicle. Homestead Police stated that Cruz, who speaks only Spanish, used a translation app on the woman's phone to communicate with her. According to the victim, he offered sex and payment for the ride.

"You trust somebody to serve the community, and they can do this to you," the victim said.

The woman said Cruz began making sexual advances while driving. She said she rejected his advances. When they arrived at her building's parking lot, she stated that he exposed himself. She tried to leave the car and walk to her apartment. Cruz pushed her back into the vehicle. She pushed him out and locked the door.

"He pushed me in, and I pushed him out and locked the door," she said. A neighbor's Ring camera recorded the altercation. The victim said she was grateful for the footage, noting that she could not have caught him without it.

Homestead Police confirmed the incident in arrest documents. During their interview with Cruz, he initially denied that anything happened. He later provided conflicting accounts of the events. Chief Mario Knapp of the Homestead Police Department offered safety advice to riders. He suggested passengers pretend to be on a phone call while entering the car and say they are monitoring the driver's GPS.

"It puts a person on notice," Chief Knapp said. Lyft released a statement saying the alleged behavior is deeply disturbing. The company permanently removed Cruz from its platform. It also stated it responded to law enforcement's request for information and is supporting the ongoing investigation. Lyft's safety team reached out to the ride requester to offer support.