Lyft Driver Charged with Kidnapping Utah Teen

44-year-old Victor Manuel Montilla accused of taking 15-year-old girl in wrong direction and refusing to stop

Mar. 11, 2026 at 8:48pm

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A Lyft driver in northern Utah is facing felony kidnapping charges after allegedly taking a 15-year-old girl in the wrong direction, canceling the ride, and refusing to stop the car despite the girl's pleas - leading her to eventually jump from the moving vehicle to escape.

Why it matters

This case highlights the importance of safety protocols for rideshare services, especially when transporting minors, and the vigilance required by parents to monitor their children's rides. It also raises concerns about the potential for predatory behavior by some drivers.

The details

According to police, on February 7th, a 44-year-old Lyft driver named Victor Manuel Montilla picked up a 15-year-old girl in West Jordan, Utah to take her to an appointment in Salt Lake City. However, Montilla allegedly turned the car in the wrong direction, briefly pulled over, then continued driving away from the destination while canceling the ride on his app and lying to the teen that her mother had canceled it. The girl's mother, who was monitoring the ride through the app, noticed the vehicle had stopped and the ride was canceled, and quickly called her daughter to tell her to exit the vehicle immediately. The teen repeatedly asked Montilla to stop the car in both English and Spanish, but he refused, leading her to eventually open the door and jump from the moving vehicle less than a mile from the pickup location.

  • The incident occurred on February 7, 2026.
  • The teen girl jumped from the moving vehicle approximately 3 minutes after entering the Lyft.

The players

Victor Manuel Montilla

A 44-year-old Lyft driver from South Jordan, Utah who has been charged with felony kidnapping.

The 15-year-old girl

The teenage passenger who was picked up by Montilla and had to jump from his moving vehicle to escape.

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What they’re saying

“We must take any allegations of this nature extremely seriously and ensure the safety of all passengers, especially minors, using rideshare services.”

— Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Mayor of Salt Lake City

What’s next

Montilla is scheduled to appear in court on March 15th, where a judge will determine if he should be released on bail pending trial.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the need for rigorous background checks, training, and monitoring of rideshare drivers to prevent potential predatory behavior, as well as the importance of parents remaining vigilant when their children are using these services.