Who is Fernando Macias Morales? Lyft Driver Arrested for S*xually Assaulting Passenger in Santa Monica

Fernando Macias Morales, a 34-year-old Lyft driver has been arrested for s*xually assaulting a passenger in Santa Monica.

Santa Monica PD announced the arrest of Macias on Wednesday for the offense which occurred in September last year and has been under investigation since.

On September 7, 2023, Santa Monica police responded to the 2900 block of Pennsylvania Ave regarding a sexual assault.

A woman reported that a Lyft driver who picked her up from a restaurant in West Hollywood to her home in Santa Monica had s*xually assaulted her during the ride home.

The victim, whose identity was not released by police, fell asleep during the ride and woke up to inappropriate touching.

She told police Macias offered to walk her to her door, which she refused but it was only after she got home that she realized the severity of the assault – several hours had passed since she was picked up.

Following a complaint, Santa Monica detectives investigated and identified the driver as Fernando Macias Morales, a 34-year-old Los Angeles resident.

He was arrested on April 5, 2024, in the San Fernando Valley and charged Morales with felony counts of Kidnapping to commit a s*xual act, s*xual penetration of a person intoxicated or under sedation and Oral copulation of a person intoxicated person or under sedation.

His bail is set at $500,000.

Lyft released the following statement: “The behavior described is reprehensible and has no place in the Lyft community or anywhere in society.

“Upon learning of this incident, we permanently banned the driver from the Lyft platform, contacted the rider to offer support, and assisted law enforcement with their investigation,”

Santa Monica PD are asking anyone with additional information to contact Det. Stephanie Davis at 310-458-2201 x4400, Sgt. Chad Goodwin at 310-458-8931, or the Watch Commander desk 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.