Editor's note: Since the air/publication of this story, Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a Colorado bill (HB 25-1291) related to increased safety measures for passengers of rideshare services in the state.
A ride back home on St. Patrick's Day 2019 was a moment that would forever change Erika Rinnert's life.
"I was kidnapped by a rideshare driver," Rinnert told CBS Colorado.
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Erika Rinnert CBS
Rinnert became one among a number of women who were kidnapped and/or sexually assaulted by the same rideshare driver.
"I was out by Coors Field when I got picked up, and I wanted to go 10 blocks. I kept saying, 'Take me to 28th and Champa. Take me to 28th and Champa. He drugged me," Rinnert explained. "He gave me a water bottle, and I passed out, and when I came to, I was on the highway, and I thought, 'Oh, my god, I'm gonna die.'"
Rinnert says she was brought to an abandoned home in Aurora where she fought Mendoza. When he left to go back to pick up riders, she escaped before she could be sexually assaulted.
"While I was laying there, something kicked in and was like, 'You can't stay here. You need to get up," Rinnert said. "I had broken my ankle during the fight, so I had to crawl to the front yard to get out of there."
It was just a few months ago driver John Pastor-Mendoza was sentenced to 290 years to life.
Yet Rinnert's fight for better protections for passengers who get behind the wheel of a rideshare driver has not stopped.
"Safety should never be a question," Rinnert said.
As rideshare companies continue to push for Gov. Polis to veto the rideshare safety bill, House Bill 25-1291, Rinnert and other survivors issued a letter to the governor this week hoping their stories showcase a need for more regulations to prevent future riders from becoming victims.
"This isn't about shutting down Uber or shutting down Lyft. We absolutely need both of those in the state," Rinnert said. "That doesn't mean that you can skirt safety. We have to have those regulations in place, and it's clear that it's not working."
Gabriela Vidal
Your Reporter Gabriela Vidal specializes in coverage of Adams County. Share you story ideas with her by sending an email to yourreporter@cbs.com.