Jacksonville Uber driver claims off-duty officers attacked him, used racial slurs

A Jacksonville Uber driver says two off-duty officers called him racial slurs and one struck him on the head while he was taking them home.

The driver, Malik Beckham, wants an apology and wants the officers who he says assaulted him to be prosecuted.

Beckham drives for Uber to provide for his family and he knows the job can be dangerous, but he never expected this kind of situation.

"You're saying a female police officer struck you in your Uber?" Action News Jax reporter Russell Colburn asked.

"Yes sir. Yes sir. Without a doubt," said Beckham. "I didn't know what their intentions were."

Beckham said he picked up the two female off-duty, out of uniform officers on Sunday around 12:15 a.m. on St. Johns Avenue in Riverside.

The officers canceled mid-trip and when they refused to leave his car, Beckham said he bluffed like he was calling the police.

"She said, 'You dumb (expletive)! We are the police!' That's when I got my phone again and really dialed the police," said Beckham. "Now I'm calling a second time because she pushed me in the back of the head, trying to get me to react."

"Both female police officers called you the n-word multiple times?" Colburn clarified.

"Yes," said Beckham.

Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson says that the physical altercation counts as battery.

Beckham said when the police arrived, they took the two women with them.

When Action News Jax presented the information from Beckham to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office they provided the following statement:

"We are aware of the allegations and are currently investigating. No additional information will be released at this time."

Action News Jax also requested all documents regarding this case, but JSO said they are not available until the investigation is complete.

"Somebody who holds the badge shouldn't even use that word, yet alone stare me in the face and call me that, and then physically assault me behind it," said Beckham.

Beckham told Colburn he'll continue to drive for Uber despite the incident, but he now has a new appreciation for who he may be picking up.

Cox Media Group