Last week, O&AN reported on the assault of Jayson Brazeal, who took a ride share home from a gay bar on Church Street.
Brazeal reported that he had a disagreement with his driver over being gay and that the man subsequently assaulted him, causing injuries that will require multiple surgeries. At that time, Brazeal declined to name the ride share service involved, citing fear of reprisal.
Over the weekend, multiple sources close to the investigation confirmed that the ride share service through which Brazeal’s ride was ordered was Lyft, which has a significant operations base in Nashville and which has had a very visible presence at Nashville Pride for the last few years.
A Lyft corporate spokesperson confirmed that one of their (now former) drivers was under investigation in relation to Brazeal’s assault. The spokesperson issued the following statement:
“These allegations are horrifying. The safety of Lyft passengers and drivers is our top priority, and we have absolutely no tolerance for any type of discrimination on our platform. We are committed to maintaining an inclusive community - what’s being described is against our terms of service and our values.
“We have been in communication with the passenger to offer our support, and have permanently deactivated the driver. We stand ready to assist law enforcement with an investigation.”
As of yet, Metro Nashville Police Department has not issued any further official statement on the course of the investigation.
Brazeal, who is scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday to undergo bone transplant from his hip to his jaw to help rebuild his facial structure, reports that he has heard from Lyft. He has also retained an attorney and does intend to pursue damages.
Brazeal’s friends and family have launched a GoFundMe page to help defray the costs of his extensive medical bills at gofundme.com/spread-love-not-hate.
Stay tuned for additional updates as they become available.