A Lyft driver who says a passenger attacked him in Texas by choking him with his own seatbelt as he was driving him to his destination has filed a lawsuit against Lyft and the hospital where he picked up the passenger.

Driver Kehinde Ayoola said staff at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston requested the ride and helped the passenger to the vehicle in February of this year.

“He pulled my seatbelt and wrapped it around my neck, choking me. He was trying to kill me,” Ayoola told Fox 26.

The passenger, Ramiro Vella, was charged with Aggravated Assault in connection with the attack.

LYFT DRIVER SAYS PASSENGER CHOKED HIM WITH HIS OWN SEATBELT IN TEXAS: ‘HE WAS TRYING TO KILL ME’

Ayoola explained the impact the violent attack has had on him since the incident, noting that he is now fearful of falling victim to another attack.

“Just like we’re sitting here, if someone tries to pass behind me, I’m always, so scared, you know. I see it always. Every day,” he said, adding that replays in his over and over again.

He said he has not picked up passengers since the incident because of his fears. He had been a rideshare driver for seven years.

“Because I’m always scared. Even if my grandson is sitting behind me in the car, I’m scared,” Ayoola said.

Ayoola said when he arrived at the hospital to pick up Vella, he observed the man standing with three hospital workers as he was fidgeting and behaving strangely.

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The passenger, Ramiro Vella, was charged with Aggravated Assault in connection with the attack. (Getty)

“When I picked up that passenger in February, I talked to the staff, the Memorial Hermann staff,” he recalled. “I said ‘Hey what’s going on? Is this guy OK?’ They told me, they said, ‘Oh yes, it’s okay.’ I even asked the security guard, and he said, ‘yes, it’s okay.’”

Shortly after Vella entered his car, he started talking to himself before beating his chest and, at one point, slid over in the backseat to the seat behind Ayoola. The passenger then grabbed Ayoola’s seatbelt and wrapped it around the driver’s neck, according to Ayoola.

Ayoola attempted to put his fingers between his neck and the seatbelt, and was unable to unfasten his seatbelt. Vella then used his arm to put Ayoola in a chokehold.

The driver pulled his car over to the side of the road, and Vella kicked the back window until the frame popped out before kicking a dent into the back of the vehicle and opening the trunk, Ayoola said.

Investigators said Vella then ran to a house and began yelling and attempting to enter. The homeowner called 911 and Vella was arrested.

Ayoola said he has not picked up passengers since the incident because of his fears of another attack. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket )

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Ayoola is “an innocent, hardworking man that was simply trying to complete a Lyft journey that was ordered, supervised, and called for by Memorial Hermann Hospital, and he ended up being attacked,” Ayoola’s Attorney, Osayuki Ogbeidet, told Fox 26.

“He expressed his concerns to Memorial Hermann staff, and they reassured him that Ramiro Vella would be OK,” Ogbeide added.

Ogbeide said Ayoola has experienced “very special damages. Not just loss of wages, not just medical bills, but his whole life turned upside down.”

Vella’s next court date is scheduled for Sept. 25.

8:22 PM on Sep 7, 2024 CDT

TYLER, TEXAS – Friday Night Lights took on a whole different meaning in an anticipated early-season clash between two Texas high school football state 4A title contenders.

Or should it be Friday Night Lights Out to the fans of Tyler Chapel Hill?

• LIVE TEXAS HS FOOTBALL SCORES | TEXAS TOP 25

In a wild, back-and-forth game between the defending 4A Division I state runner-up Bulldogs and defending 4A DII champion Gilmer, the Bulldogs survived both a power outage in the final seconds and a Buckeye game-winning opportunity to prevail, 33-29, at Bulldog Stadium on Friday.

Here, now, are four takeaways from Chapel Hill’s wild win.

Long As I Can See the Light

Trailing by four with the game hanging in the balance, Gilmer got the ball back with more than two minutes after a bad snap on a Chapel Hill field goal attempt.

The Buckeyes proceeded to convert three fourth down chances, the last coming on a scramble from quarterback Brady McCown to the Bulldog 28-yard line with less than 15 seconds out.

Then all of a sudden, just as Gilmer snapped the ball on the next play from scrimmage, the lights went out in Bulldog Stadium.

But somehow, McCown was still able to find a receiver downfield, and the player made the catch inside the 10, with the light from Chapel Hill’s videoboard behind the end zone still providing some visibility.

The lights came back on after a minute, but there was a lengthy delay as officials huddled trying to determine whether the play still counted. They decided the play stood, and with six seconds left, Gilmer had the ball at the Chapel Hill 6.

But the Bulldogs were able to survive, as on the game’s final play, McCown threw a pass toward the left side of the end zone. Chapel Hill senior defensive back Demetrius Brisbon, also the team’s quarterback, leaped high in the air to grab the ball and ran down his team’s sideline celebrating.

“We knew what they were doing; I knew what they were doing and I just read it and then picked it. … I had to make up for my last possessions that I really didn’t do the right things on, so I had to correct myself,” Brisbon said.

“The last few minutes got crazy; the lights went off and they had caught the ball down to the 6-yard line. But you know, we just kept our head in the game and we didn’t let that distract us.”

Overcoming Adversity and Deficits

The Bulldogs had to overcome three second-half deficits against Gilmer. The latter two came off turnovers; the first a pick-six by Gilmer defender Geramiah Noble that put the Buckeyes up 22-19.

Chapel Hill responded seconds later with a TD to regain the lead; then forced Gilmer to punt. But the return attempt was muffed, and Gilmer recovered, setting up a TD pass from McCown to Brendan Webb on the first play of the fourth quarter as the Buckeyes went back in front, 29-26.

On the ensuing possession, the Bulldogs advanced deep in Gilmer territory and faced a fourth-and-long from the Gilmer 29. Brisbon threw a deep pass toward the end zone, which was tipped by a Gilmer player. But Chapel Hill receiver Trevor Brooks read the ball and made a juggling catch right before the ball hit the turf for the TD with 9:08 left, giving the Bulldogs the lead for good.

“It’s just all about our o-line giving me time to run around and throw the rock,” Brisbon said. “Our coach made a great play call right there, I was just a little bit late on my read so that’s really why the ball just didn’t get there on time; (Brooks) had to juggle and catch it, but I knew my boy was going to make the catch so I just trusted in him.”

It was the third TD hookup on the night between Brisbon and Brooks, who is also a standout linebacker on defense.

“I was happy, I’m not going to lie,” Chapel Hill senior tailback Rickey Stewart said. “That was an unbelievable catch. … But I’m not surprised because that’s Trevor, he’s been doing that.”

Brisbon ended up with four TD passes, including a short pass to Stewart in the first half, with Stewart turning on the jets and outracing the Gilmer secondary for an 88-yard score.

“I already knew they were blitzing, so when I caught it, I just spun and took it (all the way),” Stewart said.

Moving Forward

Chapel Hill’s dream season last year ended with the Bulldogs being shut out by Anna in the 4A DI title game.

Using that loss as motivation all offseason, the Bulldogs are off to a strong 2-0 start, beginning with a decisive road win against a good Jasper team and then returning home to knock off a defending state champion Friday.

“All we’ve got to do is just play harder and come together as a family more, read the offense, read the defense and be smart and be football players, just go out there and do what you do,” said Stewart, who also had a rushing TD in the second half.

Brisbon, one of the top quarterbacks in Texas, added the team wanted to use its own playoff experience to find a way to win Friday.

“Really, we just tried to make the least mistakes because both teams have been far in the playoffs, both teams have played probably over 40 games (over the last two seasons), so we just put our experience in the door and just executed,” Brisbon said. “We tried to stay past the sticks, so that’s what got us running.”

Gilmer, meanwhile, dropped to 0-2 after having lost its season opener at home last week to Pine Tree.

‘Still Solid’

Brisbon and Stewart are two of the top recruits in the state, and both have committed to major Division I schools; Stewart to the University of Texas and Brisbon to Baylor University.

Both remarked after Friday’s game that they are still very much locked in to their respective schools.

“Man, Texas is a special place,” Stewart said. “Hopefully, I’ll get some shine there.”

“I just really like how the team is and how the bond there is; it’s not just about football, it’s about everything. Family, faith and they love each other.”

Stewart added he wasn’t able to go to the Longhorns’ season-opening win last week at home against Colorado State because Chapel Hill returned from its game at Jasper in the early morning hours. But he plans to be in Austin next weekend when Texas – which played at Michigan on Saturday – returns home to face UTSA.

As for Brisbon, he’s being looked by Baylor to play on both sides of the ball.

“They just want me to work both sides,” he said. “They’re just trying to get me the ball because they know I’m an athlete and they know I’m going to make plays with the ball in my hand, so they’re just trying to get me the ball and spread me out a little bit.”

Brisbon went on to say he plans to catch several Baylor home games later this season, including Big 12 games against BYU and TCU.

“I’m planning on having a big season and looking forward to going up there to Baylor. … I think my recruitment’s shot down, it’s solid to Baylor, the Baylor Bears,” he said.

“Still solid on the Bears.”

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— Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveTX