Rodman accused of slapping man at birthday after-party at Delray Beach bar in Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Retired NBA player Dennis Rodman “open hand smacked” a fellow partier at a rooftop bar in Delray Beach on May 17, according to a police report.

Jeff Soulouque, of Miami, wants to press charges, according to the report. He said he suffered injuries on his face and to his eye from what he calls an unprovoked attack.

“I was like, ‘What is your problem?’ “Soulouque told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Thursday. “It was out of nowhere. He just hit me and I was blindsided and he started charging me.”

Rodman, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, has not been arrested or charged. His attorney, Lorne Berkeley of Miami, said on Thursday: “We deny that any incident occurred.”

Berkeley, representing Rodman for the first time, said Rodman was sober and never alone during the party. He said no one he has spoken with saw Rodman hurt anyone.

“Once a thorough investigation is completed, the incident will not be substantiated,” Berkeley said.

Rodman was celebrating his 58th birthday party at Buddha Sky Bar, 217 E. Atlantic Ave., a popular rooftop social venue that has been monitored on weekends by Delray Beach firefighters for the past two months to ensure it does not get too crowded.

Soulouque said he had met Rodman several times previously because Soulouque, a business developer, is friends with one of Rodman’s managers. Soulouque said he was talking to someone who was standing behind Rodman when Rodman turned around and hit him.

Soulouque, 30, said Rodman apologized immediately and invited him to dinner the next day to make up for it.