MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — A Memphis Police officer was relieved of duty after being accused of kidnapping and raping a woman while working as a Lyft driver.
According to police, the woman asked Travis Pride for a ride home, but instead, Pride allegedly took her to a residential block on the city’s east side. The victim said she told Pride to take her home, but he refused and instead forced her into a home where police say he raped her.
The woman stated she was too afraid to run from him but contacted police after he finally took her home.
One neighbor said he heard the commotion when officers arrived at Pride’s home.
“I heard some loud screaming saying, ‘Open the door. Open the door.’ I look out the window and I saw they arrested him and he had his hands up,” said the neighbor. “The whole place was hot.”
The Memphis Police Department released a statement Thursday confirming Pride was one of their officers. They said he was off-duty at the time and working a job that was not departmentally authorized. The department was alerted to the incident Wednesday.
“During the course of this investigation, evidence showed that Travis Pride reportedly acted outside of the law and was arrested and charged for a heinous crime,” said Director James Ryall on Thursday.
Pride has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation. He was hired in July 2018 and worked at the Appling Farms Station, MPD said.
