On Tuesday, December 24, 2019, Tigistu Belete Ergo, a Lyft Driver in Boulder, CO, was arrested on suspicion of suspicion of second-degree kidnapping with a sexual offense and sexual assault.
According to the arrest affidavit, in the morning hours of August, 8, 2018, a woman called Boulder police and said she believed she had been sexually assaulted by her Lyft driver. The woman said she had been out drinking while visiting friends in Denver. Her friend order her a ride, but the woman became ill during the ride and the driver dropped her off. She then ordered a Lyft to take her home to Boulder. She remembered the driver complaining about having to drive all the way to Boulder. The driver then solicited the woman for oral sex.
She remembered the driver speeding away after he dropped her off in Boulder. And although the woman did not remember being assaulted, she underwent a sex assault examination that found male DNA. During the ride, the woman also lost her phone, wallet, and keys. When she went to replace the lost items, her new phone showed a call from Ergo. The police interviewed Ergo, and he admitted he had given the woman and her friend a ride but denied having sex with anyone. He provided the police a DNA sample, and in May 2019, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation found Ergo’s DNA matched the DNA found on the woman.
Police then investigated Ergo’s Lyft ride records. They revealed Ergo had dropped the woman’s friend off in Denver at 10:43 p.m. the night of the alleged assault, but there was no record of a ride to Boulder. There were no other fares listed until 1:08 a.m. the next day in Denver. A Boulder police detective wrote in the affidavit that there was “approximately 45 minutes that Ergo’s location is unaccounted for.” after accounting for Ergo’s driving time. Ergo had only been driving with Lyft for approximately a when the alleged assault occurred. The affidavit states he previously had driven for Uber, but was deactivated to a complaint.
If you believe that you or a loved one is a survivor of sexual assault by Tigistu Belete Ergo, a Lyft Driver in Denver, CO, please contact the compassionate legal team at Estey & Bomberger for a free, 100% confidential consultation.
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While Tigistu Belete Ergo has been arrested, the full extent of his abuse is unclear. There may be other victims in the Denver, CO, area.
You do not have to remain silent, we will fight for you and keep your identity confidential.
If you believe that you or a loved one is a survivor of sexual assault by Tigistu Belete Ergo, a Lyft Driver in Denver, CO, contact us immediately to explore your legal options and get help today.