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Florida man arrested for pointing gun at Lyft driver and attempting to pull the trigger on August 6

Esaiah Zamir Glenn, 24, a resident of 85 Bronson Lane in Palm Coast, faces a felony aggravated assault charge

PALM COAST, FLORIDA: A shocking incident unfolded in Flagler County as authorities announced the arrest of Esaiah Glenn who allegedly pointed a gun to the head of a Lyft driver and attempted to pull the trigger. The Sunday, August 6 incident has raised concerns over the safety of rideshare drivers, with this being at least the third time in five years that a local Lyft or Uber driver has fallen victim to a violent crime while on the job.

Who is Esaiah Glenn?

24-year-old Esaiah Zamir Glenn, a resident of 85 Bronson Lane in Palm Coast, faces a felony aggravated assault charge after allegedly pointing a gun to the head of a Lyft driver and attempting to pull the trigger. He was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning, August 7. According to the detailed account provided by authorities, the sequence of events unfolded on Sunday evening when a Lyft driver responded to a ride request on Providence Lane. The destination was 43 Bronson Lane in Palm Coast, where the unsettling encounter between the driver and Glenn took place.

Esaiah Glenn, known by the Lyft screen name "Carlton B," immediately raised suspicion due to his odd behavior upon entering the vehicle. Throughout the ride, Glenn engaged in incoherent conversations, at times discussing random topics and at other times delving into personal matters. As the ride progressed, Glenn's behavior escalated from odd to alarming. He allegedly coerced the driver into continuing to drive even after reaching the intended destination. Glenn's erratic instructions led to confusion and concern for the driver's safety.

Things escalated quickly

The situation took a terrifying turn when Glenn purportedly struck the back of the driver's head with an object and followed it with the unmistakable sound of a firearm's trigger being pulled. Acting swiftly, the driver managed to disarm Glenn, revealing that the gun was not loaded as feared. Glenn's demeanor reportedly shifted abruptly from a seemingly detached state to one of desperation, as he requested the driver to end his life by shooting him.

Fearing for his own safety, the driver promptly ordered Glenn out of the vehicle. A tense standoff ensued, with Glenn repeatedly beseeching the driver to carry out his request to end his life. Eventually, Glenn complied with the driver's demand to exit the car, prompting the driver to discard the firearm out of the vehicle's window before speeding away from the scene, FlaglerLive reported.

Investigation and apprehension

Flagler County Sheriff's deputies swiftly initiated an investigation, tracing the ride back to the address on Providence Lane. A resident at the location confirmed ordering the Lyft for Glenn and revealed that he had made troubling statements indicating suicidal thoughts.

Efforts to locate Glenn via his cellphone proved unsuccessful until the early hours of the morning when his phone pinged near a McDonald's on Old Kings Road, near the Red Roof Inn. Deputies located Glenn in his car at the scene, concealing himself. With caution, the deputies approached Glenn's vehicle and successfully apprehended him without incident.

During subsequent questioning, Glenn reportedly admitted to orchestrating the incident with the intention of ending his own life. “I tried to kill myself,” he told deputies, revealing that he had purchased a firearm in Palatka and had engaged in the Lyft ride as part of his plan. Glenn allegedly stated that he pulled the trigger against the driver in the hopes of provoking a lethal response. Despite leading deputies to an area where he claimed to have disposed of the firearm, the search only yielded Glenn's personal belongings and not the weapon.

Positively ID'd from lineup

The Lyft driver was able to positively identify Glenn during an in-person lineup, reinforcing the validity of the driver's account. Esaiah Zamir Glenn is currently being held without bond. His arrest underscores the complex challenges surrounding mental health issues and the critical importance of early intervention in such cases.

“You can run but you can’t hide from FCSO,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “This situation could have ended a lot worse, but I’m proud of the quick and sweeping actions our team to make sure our community was safe, and that the suspect was apprehended before he could hurt someone or himself. If you know of someone who is having a mental health episode, you should always call us to intervene before it escalates as it did in this case," he added.