The heated incident between Tabitha Turner, a television reporter for the NBA’s Hawks and WNBA’s Dream, and Mericole Smith, an Uber driver, began with a dispute over the temperature of the vehicle.
Video from a cell phone captured the time that Smith and Turner became violent, as well as their argument before Smith sprayed Turner with mace, which caused her to drop her phone.
“I just wanted to go home and see my daughter,” Turner told 11 Alive.
READ ALSO: Uber driver filmed pointing gun at passengers arrested
Turner claimed that in addition to the assault, she is currently facing cyberbullying. She said Smith resorted to social media following the incident, which prompted others to target her.
“They’ve flooded my social media with threats,” Turner explained. “They’ve reached out to people I work with and work for.”
The video, however, does not depict a one-sided exchange.
“When some people watch this video, they’re going to say, listen, you were asked to get out of the car multiple times. You also called her an ‘R’ slur. You’re not so much a victim, but an instigator. How do yourespond?” 11Alive’s Chase Houle asked Turner.
In response, Miguel Dominguez, her lawyer, said, “There is no one who is going to watch this video and come away from it believing my client instigated this thing in any way.”
Smith, the driver, has also expressed her viewpoint on the situation.
“This is what I do at work. This is how I’m paying to go to school,” she said bursting into tears. “I would never attack any passenger who has ever gotten into my car. I just wanted her to get out of the car.”
READ ALSO: Uber takes action after driver filmed pulling gun on passengers
According to Smith, she saw Turner take a sharp object out of her backpack and so she used the mace in self-defense. She stated that the situation erupted outside the car when Turner began attacking her.
“So, the bite mark is right here, right up above the end of my jawline,” Smith said. “And then for my eye, I have stitches here, and the blood vessels in my eye are bruised and healing currently.”
Police were summoned, and a warrant for Smith’s arrest has been issued. According to her, she is going to turn herself in.
As of right now, though, Turner is not facing any charges, and her lawyer plans on suing Uber in a class action.
READ ALSO: Uber passenger gets life sentence for killing mother of four who pleaded for her life
