'I love you, dad': Family of missing Lyft driver says last ride drop-off set for Okeechobee County
Loved ones of 74-year-old Gary Levin, who has been missing since driving for Lyft on Monday, said there are new details about his rides that can hopefully lead them to their father.
"We in the family would strongly urge anybody that saw anything in the area of NW Park Street and S. Parrott Avenue in the city of Okeechobee around 4:30 p.m. to please let law enforcement know," said Jonathan Levin, Gary's son.
He said detectives are working with Lyft to piece together what happened Monday afternoon. They now know that Levin's Lyft ride was in the vicinity of Delray Beach at 1:30 p.m. The drop-off location for the ride was in Okeechobee around 4:30 p.m.
Levin's car is a 2022 red Kia Stinger. The license plate is 81ABTY.
"None of this makes sense. You know, dad has been a Lyft driver for years. And it wouldn’t be unusual for him to take fares out of town. But dad is a homebody through and through. He loves sleeping on his own bed," he said.
Previous Coverage: 74-year-old Palm Beach Gardens man missing since Monday after picking up Lyft riders
Highway scans showed that the car was last seen in Gainesville, but loved ones say there's no reason he would have gone that far north.
While WPBF 25 News is waiting to learn more about the circumstances behind Levin's disappearance, we looked into Lyft's safety resources for drivers. On the website, it shows that they offer emergency help with ADT and live safety support.
WPBF 25 News reached out to Lyft for a comment on the safety protocols and has not yet heard back.
Levin's phone has been off since Tuesday. Family members believe that his car was taken from him.
"It can be frustratingly difficult to deal with the bureaucracies of all of these data companies. We’re glad that detectives have been able to locate the site of the last drop-off, but we would strongly urge Kia and any other involved parties that have any information about the whereabouts of the automobile or its path to please get in touch immediately with Palm Beach Gardens Police," Levin's son said.
The family says that he was in a good place and had no known medical conditions.
"I spoke to my dad last on Sunday night. He’s a great football fan, and we were jubilant on Facetime that our Eagles were going to the Superbowl. And dad was in a really good place on Monday," he said.
A spokesperson with Kia responded to WPBF 25 News' request for a statement on their safety protocols.
“Certain Kia vehicles are equipped with a Stolen Vehicle Recovery function. Law enforcement personnel may contact the Kia Connect Customer Care team directly at (844) 886-9411 so that a specially trained associate may determine what assistance can be provided," a spokesperson responded.
If you believe you have seen Levin or his car, you are asked to contact the Palm Beach Gardens Police at 561-799-4445.
"I love you, dad," Levin's son said.