A Detroit rapper has taken legal action against Lyft, claiming that one of the company’s drivers refused to give her a ride because of her size.
Dajua Blanding – who performs under the stage name Dank Demoss – filed a lawsuit against the rideshare giant and the driver — identified as John Doe — in Michigan’s Circuit Court for Wayne County on Monday, January 27.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Blanding alleges that on January 18, she paid for a Lyft ride to her cousin’s house to watch a football game.
Roughly 10 to 15 minutes later, Doe arrived at her home, but when she approached his vehicle, he allegedly refused to let her in.
The lawsuit claims that Doe locked his doors as she approached and attempted to drive away.
“Specifically, as Plaintiff walked towards the vehicle, Defendant John Doe locked the doors to his vehicle and attempted to drive away,” the filing states, adding that Blanding was left “shocked”.
Per FOX 2, Blanding captured part of her interaction with the driver on video, in which, she can be heard saying: “I can fit in this car.”
To which, the driver can be heard responding: “Believe me, you can’t.”
Blanding says she confronted the driver, asking why he tried to leave. That’s when Doe allegedly told her she was “too big” to ride in his car and that he was canceling her trip.
According to the lawsuit, Doe told Blanding she “was too big to fit in the back seat” and that his “tires were not capable of supporting Plaintiff’s weight”.
Blanding, however, insisted there was plenty of space in the back seat and that she “did not require a bigger car.”
But Doe allegedly stood his ground, claiming that he had encountered this “problem in the past” and that “overweight individuals must order Lyft XLs” — a more expensive option designed for larger groups of people, per the company’s website.
After canceling her ride, Doe drove off, leaving Blanding stranded and unable to attend her cousin’s party.
“I’ve been in cars smaller than that,” Blanding told FOX 2. “I just want them to know that it hurt my feelings.”
Legal Action and Attorney Statements
The lawsuit accuses Lyft and the driver of creating a hostile environment and engaging in discriminatory treatment.
Blanding’s attorney, John Marko, condemned the alleged incident, telling PEOPLE: “Under the law, refusing someone transportation due to their weight is no different than refusing someone transportation based on their race or religion.
“Discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated in our society.”
Attorney Zach Runyan also weighed in, stressing the potential dangers of leaving a passenger stranded.
“Refusing someone transportation based on their weight is not only illegal, but dangerous. Imagine the consequences if Ms. Blanding were unable to seek shelter after the driver left her stranded. This could have ended even worse than it did,” Runyan said.
Blanding is suing for damages, citing stress, humiliation, embarrassment, mental anguish, fear, and mortification, along with economic and non-economic damages. She is also seeking compensation for attorney fees and court costs.
Lyft Responds
A Lyft spokesperson issued a statement to PEOPLE, emphasizing the company’s stance against discrimination: “Lyft unequivocally condemns all forms of discrimination — we believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness.
“Our community guidelines and terms of service explicitly prohibit harassment or discrimination.”