A Lyft driver in Texas filed a lawsuit after a terrifying attack by a passenger left him deeply disturbed. Kehinde Ayoola, a rideshare driver for seven years, says a passenger he picked up from Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston tried to strangle him with his own seatbelt during a ride in February.

According to Ayoola, hospital staff requested the ride and assured him the passenger, Ramiro Vella, was fine. However, Ayoola noticed Vella acting strangely before getting into his vehicle, fidgeting and behaving oddly. Concerned, the Lyft driver asked hospital staff if Vella was safe to transport, and they assured him everything was OK.

Once in the car, things quickly escalated. Ayoola says Vella began talking to himself, “beating his chest,” and eventually moved to the back seat directly behind him. That’s when even more terrifying things happened. According to Fox News, Vella allegedly grabbed Ayoola’s seatbelt, wrapping it around his neck and choking him while Ayoola struggled to free himself.

“He was trying to kill me,” Ayoola told Fox 26. “I couldn’t even unfasten my seatbelt.” In a desperate move, Ayoola managed to pull the car over to the side of the road, but the attack didn’t end there. Vella reportedly kicked out the back window and fled the scene. Police arrested Vella after the tried to enter a nearby home. Authorities charged Vella with aggravated assault.

Ayoola, deeply shaken by the incident, has not driven for Lyft since. “I’m always scared,” he said. “Even if my grandson is sitting behind me in the car, I’m scared.”

Now, Ayoola is suing both Lyft and Memorial Hermann Hospital, claiming they failed to protect him by allowing an unstable passenger into his car. His attorney, Osayuki Ogbeide, emphasized the devastating impact the attack has had on Ayoola’s life, stating that he suffers from severe trauma and has been unable to work. Vella’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 25.