Police said a disagreement over the driver’s route escalated into an attack before officers arrested the passenger at a nearby restaurant.
ORLANDO, Fla. — A man accused of stabbing an Uber driver after arguing about which route to take remained jailed Friday as his attempted murder case moved toward a hearing that will determine whether he can be released on bond.
Jovaughn Matthie, 42, is scheduled to appear in court Friday, July 31. The hearing will focus on whether he may post bond and leave custody while the case is pending or must remain jailed until further proceedings.
The case began Monday near downtown Orlando, according to police. Investigators said Matthie was receiving a ride when he asked the driver to use a route different from the one recommended by the vehicle’s navigation system.
Police said the driver did not want to take the requested route and stopped the car. Matthie then allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed the driver in the chest. Authorities have not released the driver’s identity or publicly detailed the extent of his injuries.
Officers began searching for Matthie after the attack and found him a short time later inside an IHOP restaurant on East Colonial Drive, police said. He was taken into custody and accused of attempted second-degree murder.
Matthie appeared before Circuit Judge Barbara Leach on Friday morning for his first court hearing since the arrest. During the proceeding, he said he did not want an attorney and asked for permission to represent himself.
Leach warned him that giving up a lawyer could place him at a serious disadvantage. She said an attorney could help him understand the evidence and court rules, communicate with people involved in the case and gain access to legal resources that may be difficult for a jailed defendant to obtain.
“Do you understand these dangers and disadvantages of representing yourself?” Leach asked. Matthie replied, “Yes.” He told the judge that he had completed 20 years of schooling and held a college degree in food and beverage studies.
Leach determined that Matthie was competent to make the decision and allowed him to proceed without an attorney. The ruling means he will be responsible for handling his defense while also preparing for the bond hearing, which will be his next major court proceeding.
The accusations against Matthie have not been proven in court. No trial date was announced during Friday’s hearing, and additional details about the evidence and the driver’s recovery have not been publicly released.
Author note: Last updated July 24, 2026.