Dennis Rodman accused of slapping man

Police report stated he smacked a partier at a Delray Beach bar

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.

Soulouque went home but when he woke up, he said, he saw his face was beginning to swell. He went to the Miami Police Department to report the incident, but they sent him to Delray Beach Police.

The Delray Beach officer who wrote the report said he did not notice any swelling two days after the

incident. But Soulouque said he suffered a corneal abrasion and has been unable to concentrate on work.

Victor Korobka, Buddha Sky Bar general manager, said there is no video of the alleged incident because it happened at the Chef ’s Table, a spot that is not under surveillance. But he said a security guard was shadowing Rodman and there were no reports of any conflicts that night.

“No employees or management witnessed it,” Korobka said. “Nobody had any inkling. It’s the most bizarre situation we’ve ever seen.”

Witness David Lee Roth, 50, of Miami Beach, who had invited Soulouque to the party, told police he was about 20 feet away and saw Rodman smack Soulouque twice. He told police he did not know the reason for the alleged attack. Roth could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Police said Thursday that they were still investigating the incident.

Rodman has had numerous encounters with police over the past few years. Most recently, the former NBA forward, who is 6 feet 7 inches and led the league in rebounds for seven years, was accused earlier this month of helping to steal clothing and a $3,500 amethyst crystal from a yoga studio in California.

During his NBA career, Rodman played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Dallas Mavericks. He retired in 2000 and played in several other basketball leagues through 2008. He also pursued careers in wrestling and acting, and began attracting attention for outlandish antics, such as posing naked for an animal-rights campaign and befriending North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

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