2002 Ford Taurus Door will not latch.

My driver's-side car door will not latch. The lever/latch won't flip up in place to catch on the door (striker). I can take a screw driver and move the latch to the open and closed position, but the latch won't catch onto the striker. So the door will not close and the light stays on in the car until I manually flip the latch into the closed position. However, when I manually flip up the latch, then the door won't close because the latch is in the close position and bounces off the striker and prevents the door from being 100% in the closed position.

Furthermore, I can't drive the car because the door won't latch. I will try a bungee cord, to keep the door closed, but I will probably have to pull the fuse on the light switch so the light doesn't stay on and run the battery down.

Prior to this problem, for about the past 2 weeks, I could not get the driver's door to unlock with a key or remote about 80% of the time. I would have to reach in through the passenger side to unlock the door.

I have watched all kinds or Internet postings about cars not latching, and not locking, and locked closed, but I have not found anything that addresses a solution to this problem.

Thank you in advance for any help that you can offer.
Kind regards,
LS