Nightmare Ride: Two Arrested In Boynton Beach After Uber Driver Kidnapping And Wild Crime Spree

Police say suspects forced driver to travel across Palm Beach County for hours while attempting to use stolen credit cards.

Boynton Beach police have arrested two suspects accused of kidnapping an Uber driver at gunpoint and forcing the victim to drive them around Palm Beach County for nearly two hours while they attempted to access stolen credit cards. Police identified the primary suspect as 20-year-old Isaiah Thurston.

According to the Boynton Beach Police Department, the incident occurred on Friday, Jan. 16, after an Uber driver picked up what appeared to be a routine ride request near the Catalina Center in Boynton Beach. Officers said the situation quickly escalated once the passenger entered the vehicle.

Investigators said Thurston was dressed entirely in black and wearing a ski mask when he allegedly pressed a firearm into the driver’s back. Authorities said the suspect then ordered the driver to cancel the ride and summoned a second individual, later identified as 24-year-old Jakeria Riley.

The victim told officers the two suspects forced them to continue driving through several cities, including West Palm Beach and Riviera Beach. During the nearly two-hour ordeal, police said the suspects attempted to withdraw money from ATMs using multiple credit cards believed to be stolen.

Investigators said the driver remained under threat during the drive and complied out of fear for their safety. Police reports indicate the suspects eventually fled once the vehicle returned to Boynton Beach, according to WPBF.

Following the victim’s report, detectives launched an investigation that led them to a Courtyard Marriott hotel in the area. Authorities located Thurston and Riley nearby and took both into custody.

During a search, officers said Riley was found in possession of cocaine and several credit cards not belonging to her. Police did not immediately disclose whether the ATM withdrawal attempts were successful.

The couple was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on multiple charges, including kidnapping, armed robbery, possession of a controlled substance, violation of probation, and resisting arrest.

Police records show additional charges may be pending as the investigation continues.
Court records indicate Riley appeared before a judge on 18 January, where no bond was set. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 16 at 10:30 a.m. Thurston declined to appear in court on Sunday, and his initial appearance was postponed. He remains in custody.

Police have not released the name of the Uber driver, citing safety and privacy concerns. Authorities say the case remains under investigation and are urging anyone with additional information to contact the Boynton Beach Police Department.

No injuries were reported, but officers described the incident as a serious and dangerous crime involving the use of a firearm.