WOODBRIDGE, VA – Prince William County police are searching for a Lyft driver accused of abducting two women during a ride from Maryland to Woodbridge, Virginia. Officers say the women had requested the ride through the app after an event in Maryland, expecting to go home in Virginia.
The driver is identified by police as Adar Bulut, 25, of Falls Church. Investigators said they obtained a warrant for his arrest, but he had not been found as of the latest update. He faces two counts of abduction and one count of reckless driving.
Police say the ride turned into a dispute over payment
According to Prince William County police, the driver picked up a 32-year-old woman and a 25-year-old woman and then suggested they pay him a discounted rate directly instead of using Lyft. That exchange became important when the ride was nearing its end.
Police said an argument broke out over the price of the trip as the women were being dropped off. They said the driver then drove a short distance before letting the passengers out, which prevented them from leaving immediately.
Investigators have not said whether the women agreed to the alternate payment arrangement or how long the dispute lasted. The incident remains a criminal case focused on the driver’s actions during the trip.
No injuries were reported after the alleged abduction
Police said the two women were not injured. That detail matters because the charges were filed after the alleged restraint and dispute, not because officers reported physical harm.
The call came in to police around 12:33 a.m., when officers responded to the 2700 block of Noble Fir Court to investigate. That location appears to be where the ride ended and the encounter was reported.
Authorities have not released additional information about the women beyond their ages. They also have not said whether other people were nearby when the incident happened.
Adar Bulut remains wanted on abduction and reckless driving charges
Prince William County police said they secured a warrant for Bulut’s arrest after reviewing the incident. He is described as a white man, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 175 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Police said anyone who knows where Bulut is should contact Prince William County Police. They have not announced an arrest.
The charges include two counts of abduction, one for each woman, and one count of reckless driving. Those accusations stem from the same ride, according to police.
Lyft ride began with a trip from an event in Maryland to home in Virginia
Police said the women used the Lyft app to request transportation from an event in Maryland back to their home in Virginia. The route crossed state lines and ended in Woodbridge, a suburban part of Prince William County.
The ride’s ending became the center of the case after the payment dispute and the short drive that allegedly kept the women from getting out right away. Police have not said what kind of event the women attended or why they chose to pay outside the app.
The case highlights the risks that can arise when app-based rides move outside the platform’s payment system. In this incident, investigators say the disagreement quickly escalated into a criminal allegation.
Police ask anyone with information to come forward
Investigators are still trying to locate Bulut and have asked the public for help. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Prince William County Police.
Police have not said whether they believe Bulut is still in Northern Virginia or if he may have left the area. They also have not released any further details about the warrant process.
For now, the case centers on a disputed ride, a brief detention allegation and charges that were filed after the women reported what happened. The investigation is continuing under Prince William County police.
