Just after 2:30 AM Monday morning, Lyft Driver Joshua D Kaplan admits per court records, that he consumed “three beers” before logging onto the Lyft platform to work as a driver. He got a request to pick up a passenger, and accepted it. They made it as far as Gallatin & McGavock in East Nashville before he was pulled over and arrested on several charges – including DUI.
According to the MNPD, Kaplan drove past an officer, going approximately 58 in a 40 mph zone, confirmed by radar. Kaplan’s vehicle was weaving in it’s lane and crossed the center line. Once they reached Gallatin/McGavock, the officer activated his blue lights, to which Kaplan did not acknowledge and continued to drive on Gallatin Pk. The officer chirped his siren, while the car continued to ignore the police vehicle behind him, with lights and a chirping siren attempting to pull him over at 2:35 AM. Finally, the officer activated full sirens along with the lights and Kaplan eventually pulled over at Gallatin & Iverson.
The officer noticed a passenger in the back seat, and Kaplan explained that he was driving for Lyft, and that was his current rider on the app, and he was taking him home, because the passenger was also unable to drive himself. Kaplan admitted to drinking 3 beers before logging onto the Lyft app in those early morning hours, and said he was a “4 or 5” on a 1-10 scale of intoxication, and that he could feel the effects of it.
The officer reports his eyes were blood shot and watery, his speech appeared to be slurred, and there was the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from inside the vehicle. He was read implied consent and refused to take a breath test and the suspect was additionally charged with violating the implied consent law.
In addition to the above charges, he was also charged with wreckless endangerment, having a Lyft passenger in the vehicle while driving under the influence as his actions put his client in imminent danger of serious bodily injury.
Kaplan was booked into the Davidson County jail, where bond was set at $6,000 – however due to no previous criminal history he was released on the pretrial program to a Sharpe Ave address in East Nashville.
