A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer is facing a criminal charge after authorities say he shoved a person off a bicycle in the middle of the night in uptown.
CMPD officer Malcolm Joseph was arrested and charged with simple assault after police say he pushed a bicyclist, causing the rider to crash and suffer minor injuries. The department says the encounter happened shortly after 2 a.m. Friday in CMPD’s Central Division. Joseph, who is assigned to that division, later turned himself in to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office and has been placed on unpaid administrative leave while Internal Affairs conducts a parallel review.
Detectives with CMPD’s Criminal Investigations Bureau obtained a warrant for simple assault after a voluntary interview with Joseph, according to a department press release in its newsroom. The release lists the case report number as 20260717-0210-00 and asks anyone with information to contact Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or submit tips through the P3 Tips mobile app or website.
“No one is above the law, especially those of us entrusted to uphold it,” Chief Estella Patterson said in the department’s statement. The release notes that Joseph was hired on Sept. 3, 2024 and that CMPD’s Internal Affairs Division is running its own investigation alongside the criminal case.
What investigators say
According to CMPD, detectives reviewed witness statements and other evidence from the Central Division scene before seeking the warrant. The alleged shove that took the rider off the bike is the basis for the simple assault charge. Officials say the bicyclist’s injuries are considered minor. The criminal investigation remains with CMPD’s Criminal Investigations Bureau while Internal Affairs carries out a separate administrative probe.
Simple assault under state law
Under North Carolina law, simple assault is generally treated as a misdemeanor unless certain aggravating factors apply that can elevate the charge. The North Carolina General Assembly’s statute on misdemeanor assaults spells out those classifications and possible penalties. The full statute is available via the NC General Assembly.
What happens next
The criminal case will now move through the Mecklenburg County court system, where any formal charges, filings or court dates will become part of the public record. CMPD says Joseph will remain on unpaid administrative leave while detectives and Internal Affairs finish their reviews and the court process plays out.
