A Florida man has been arrested after police say he stabbed an Uber driver in the chest during an argument over the driving route and then went to a nearby IHOP, where officers later found him calmly drinking coffee.
Jovaughn Matthie, 42, has been charged with second-degree attempted murder and resisting arrest without violence, according to the Orlando Police Department.
The incident happened on Monday morning near East Marks Street and Kenilworth Terrace in Orlando.
According to an arrest report obtained by WOFL, the Uber driver had just dropped off another passenger when Matthie approached the vehicle and asked if it was an Uber.
After the driver confirmed it was, Matthie got into the front passenger seat and requested a ride to a destination about five minutes away.
Police said Matthie wanted the driver to take a different route than the one suggested by the GPS. When the driver declined to change the route, investigators allege Matthie pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest.
After the attack, officers searched the area and located Matthie inside a nearby IHOP restaurant.
Body camera footage released by Orlando police showed Matthie sitting with a cup of coffee while officers surrounded him and repeatedly ordered him to get on the ground.
According to police, Matthie ignored the commands and continued drinking his coffee even as officers pointed Tasers at him.
Authorities said he finally complied after a police K-9 was brought to the scene.
Officers then placed Matthie in handcuffs and allegedly recovered a knife wrapped in a rag from his pocket.
He was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail.
During his first court appearance, Matthie reportedly asked the judge if he could represent himself.
According to WOFL, the judge advised him to accept a public defender because he did not have legal training.
The judge also ordered Matthie to remain in custody without bond.
Matthie reportedly appeared confused by the decision and asked whether a zero-dollar bond meant he could leave jail.
The judge clarified that a no-bond order meant he would remain in custody and explained that he would not be eligible for release on bond.
Matthie is scheduled to return to court on Friday.
An Uber spokesperson told WOFL that the incident did not occur during an active Uber trip, explaining that the driver was giving Matthie a ride as a courtesy rather than through the Uber platform.
The company also said its thoughts were with the injured driver as he recovered.
Police have not released additional information about the driver’s medical condition.
The case remains under investigation. Matthie is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
