St. Louis woman allegedly threatens to shoot Lyft driver after he refused to transport children with no car seats

By Pat Pratt

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    ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — A St. Louis woman is facing felony charges after police say she threatened to shoot a Lyft driver in the head after he canceled her ride because she didn’t have car seats for her children.

St. Louis circuit attorneys on Saturday charged 29-year-old Lawanda L. Felder with counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree child endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm. A no-bond warrant has been issued for her arrest.

According to a St. Louis Police probable cause statement, the driver told police that on Sept. 1 he arrived to pick up Felder near 18th and Carr streets. She had two children with her and the driver asked if she had car seats, to which she replied, “no.”

Missouri law requires car seats for children based on age, height, and weight. Lyft also requires customers to provide car seats if children are riding in the vehicle.

The driver cancelled the ride and an argument ensued, with Felder producing a handgun and threatening to shoot the driver in the back of the head in front of her two children, according to the statement.

The victim told police she then took his cellphone and left the vehicle. When the driver followed her, she punched him and dropped the phone, the statement reads. He then grabbed it back and contacted the police.

Police said Felder is barred from possessing a firearm due to an unlawful use of a weapon conviction in 2015 in St. Louis. Court records show she also has a felony case pending in St. Louis County, where she is charged with stealing $25,000 or more in merchandise from a Kohl’s.

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