Skip to Content
News

Missing Ride-Share Driver Found at Downtown Hospital

A 29-year-old Uber and Lyft driver missing for more than a week has been found.

Joshua Thiede was found at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, according to a Facebook post by his mother, Janet Thiede. He was driving his black Nissan Altima around the 1000 block of Wilshire Boulevard in downtown, when he was last seen Feb. 11, prompting fears of foul play.

Safety for ride-share drivers and passengers is a persistent issue in the gig economy. The case in Los Angeles followed the death of a 23-year-old man on the 110 freeway after getting into some sort of altercation with a Lyft driver on Jan. 31.

No further information was available about how Thiede got to the hospital on Tuesday morning.

“At this time, we do not have all the details,” Thiede’s mother said.  “We are just extremely happy that he is alive. We are continuing to ask the LAPD to investigate the circumstances that landed him in the hospital.”In the post, Janet Thiede said her son is a vegan who was using Uber and Lyft as a way to support himself while he developing an organic shoe line. Police discovered Thiede’s car in Koreatown on Monday, the L.A. Times reports.

According to reports, Thiede’s mother said that someone called 911 from his cell phone, but hung up.

RELATED: Investigation Underway for Lyft Passenger Who Allegedly Fell to his Death on 110 Freeway.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

Announcing the L.A. TACO Media Lab: For the Future of Local Journalism In Los Angeles

To start, we’re teaming up with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to help provide education and training expertise to a new generation of journalists. The school has developed a new course, “Bridging the Gap Between L.A. Influencers and Independent Journalists,” which will provide time and space for USC students to contribute to the L.A. TACO Media Lab. 

From Highland Park to High-End Steakhouse: How a Linebacker From Franklin High Became the Master of Mastro’s

L.A.-born Walter Mayen worked his way up in the kitchen, from shucking oysters to running one of the most legendary steakhouses in the country. And even has the scar to prove it.

April 24, 2025

The Eight Best Latino-Owned Coffee Pop-Ups Serving Labubu, Gansito, and Duvalín Lattes From Their Front Yards

Beyond the specifics behind the perfect pour, a high-quality bean, and a great aroma, coffee is about community, the people who serve it, and the people we share it with.

April 24, 2025

Wes Avila’s Game-Changing Sweet Potato Taco Is Back In Flauta Form (And Better Than Ever)

Thirteen years after Wes Avila first turned the classic taco de papa on its head by using in-season, local sweet potatoes, he continues to evolve his iconic, accidentally vegetarian taco. Avila’s sweet potato taco has been copied by many in L.A. and beyond. It’s also one of the best-sellers at his taquería in Kyoto, PioPiko, proving that this taco is also effectively also huge in Japan.

April 23, 2025

Meet the ‘Final Four’ Taquerías In the Semi-Finals! Just Ten Days Left For Our Live Event

Did your favorite spot make it to the Sabr-Ocho? The competition is getting fierce.

April 23, 2025
See all posts