Violent Altercation Unfolds Between Atlanta Reporter and Uber Driver

Tabitha Turner, a sports reporter in Atlanta says she is being harassed, by social media users, after an altercation with an Uber driver.

An Atlanta reporter is claiming she was attacked and maced by her Uber driver. The Uber driver refutes the claims.

Tabitha Turner, a sports reporter for the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Dream, spoke with 11Alive to defend herself after a video surfaced of a physical and verbal altercation with Mericole Smith.

According to Turner, Smith violently attacked the woman after the woman had argued over the temperature of the vehicle. Smith also requested the reporter exit the vehicle while on Interstate I-85. She refused. Turner contends she only “wanted to get home to [her] daughter.”

Smith recounted her side of the events in a TikTok video, June 22. Subsequently, Turner released video of the altercation. As a result, Turner says she is being harassed. She also claims she was doxed. Observers are now contacting her place of employment and co-workers.

“They’ve flooded my social media with threats,” Turner said. “They’ve reached out to people I work with and work for.”

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While Turner denies any wrong-doing, Smith asserts the reporter threatened her. By Turner, allegedly, brandishing a weapon, Smith felt threatened. It was the perceived threat that led to Turner being sprayed with mace.

Smith showed 11 Alive the injuries she sustained once the women’s altercation turned physical.

“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 believe there is sufficient evidence to charge Smith in the assault. Turner is not currently facing charges for her part in the incident.

@mericolaaa #uber #uberdriverproblems @Uber #atlanta #atlantageorgia #lawsuit #lawsuitcheck ♬ original sound – MERICOLAAA

Turner was asked about her role in the situation. Her personal video documents her calling Smith multiple slurs. Turner did not respond to 11 Alive, instead opting to let her lawyer, Miguel Dominguez, speak on her behalf.

“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,” said Dominguez.

Turner is planning to initiate a class-action lawsuit against Uber.