ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Hawks reporter Tabitha Turner was punched and pepper sprayed during an altercation with an Uber driver, according to Hapeville police.
Police said officers responded to I-85 northbound at Sylvan Road around 3:45 p.m. on June 21 and found Turner and two other women. One of the other women was a passerby who had stopped to help. The other was Turner’s Uber driver.
According to police, Turner was taking a Uber when she requested the driver roll up the windows. The driver refused and ordered Turner out of the car.
The police report said the incident happened in the curve of the I-85 exit ramp, which the report called “a dangerous place to load and unload passengers.” The report also noted that the location was in view of a fire station.
Video obtained by Atlanta News First shows Turner saying she would get out when the driver refunded the ride, at which point the driver deploys pepper spray against her.
Police said Turner then deployed her own pepper spray and scratched the driver. The driver was hospitalized after the incident.
The police report states there is probable cause to charge the driver with battery and simple battery.
Gray Media, Atlanta News First’s parent company, is a broadcast partner of the Atlanta Dream and Atlanta Hawks. We reached out to both teams for comment. Neither are commenting on the case.
_Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved._