Atlanta sports activities reporter says she was pepper-sprayed and attacked by an Uber driver

Atlanta sports activities reporter Tabitha Turner alleges she was pepper-sprayed within the face and bodily attacked by an Uber driver over the weekend following a dispute over the automobile temperature.

The Uber driver, recognized by police as Mericole Smith, is dealing with fees of misdemeanor battery and easy battery after Hapeville police mentioned a video of the Saturday incident confirmed that she was the aggressor and bodily attacked Turner. Police mentioned an arrest warrant could be issued for Smith.

Turner’s legal professional, Miguel Dominguez, mentioned in a Wednesday press convention that the altercation occurred as Turner was being pushed to her dwelling from the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport.

Smith, who accused Turner of escalating the state of affairs in a viral TikTok video, didn’t return a request for touch upon Thursday.

In line with Dominguez, Turner had requested an Uber Consolation, which permits passengers to customise the trip. Uber’s web site says that passengers who use this service can let the motive force know in the event that they wish to discuss throughout the trip and set a temperature choice.

Due to the scorching sizzling temperatures in Atlanta, Turner needed “a cool Uber,” Dominguez mentioned. However when Smith arrived, she had the home windows rolled down and the air conditioner wasn’t turned on, he mentioned.

Dominguez mentioned that when Turner requested for the home windows to be rolled up, Smith escalated the state of affairs.

“The motive force didn’t reply verbally, however she did put the air conditioner on, however she didn’t roll the home windows up. And in order the trip went on, the automobile clearly didn’t cool off,” he informed reporters. “My consumer was actually sizzling, she was sweaty, she addressed the motive force once more, asking that the home windows be rolled up. The response she obtained from the motive force was not variety and was not pleasant. The motive force was clearly irritated by, I assume, the calls for of a passenger.”

Dominguez mentioned the motive force abruptly pulled over within the emergency lane on the expressway and ordered Turner out of the automobile. He mentioned Turner didn’t get out and informed the motive force to both take her again to the airport, the place it was secure, or name the police and refund her the cash for the fare.

In line with the legal professional, Turner was “fully calm.” He alleged that Smith exited the automobile, eliminated Turner’s baggage after which tried to “bodily take away my consumer from the automobile by grabbing the bookbag that she was carrying and getting right into a wrestle.”

In her TikTok video, Smith mentioned she turned the air conditioner up after Turner commented on how sizzling the automobile was. Nonetheless, she defined that she doesn’t roll up the home windows as a result of she generally has passengers who’re sick. Smith mentioned the home windows have been solely barely cracked.

In line with Smith, Turner began yelling at her, so she informed Turner that she would take her again to the airport and finish the journey.

“That was not ok for her,” Smith mentioned in her video. “She goes off. She is irate within the again seat, tripping, so I pull over. I’m like, really, yeah, I’m going to want you to get out proper right here. So I pull over in Hapeville, we’re off the freeway.”

Within the video, Smith mentioned she informed Turner that Uber would refund her, however Turner refused to depart. As a result of the state of affairs was escalating, Smith flagged down a passerby and requested that they name 911.

Smith mentioned she then opened the automobile door and once more requested Turner to get out. She alleged that Turner went “in her bag to get a weapon.” In line with Smith, she obtained again in her automobile and pepper-sprayed Turner “in self-defense.”

However Dominguez mentioned Smith pepper-sprayed his consumer in an unprovoked assault. In a 30-second video clip launched by his workplace, Smith is seen telling Turner to get out of the automobile.

She then leans into the backseat as she curses and screams at Turner, the video reveals.

The incident continued to escalate as each ladies exited the automobile.

In line with Dominguez, Smith bodily assaulted Turner and pulled out a few of her hair. Smith alleged in her video that Turner ran towards her and tried “to gouge” her eye out. Smith mentioned in her video, which has greater than two million views, that she needed to get stitches on her eye.

In line with a police report, Smith initiated the bodily assault, and Turner scratched her whereas attempting to defend herself.