An unsettling incident at an Arby’s in Oklahoma has landed a former manager in legal hot water. Authorities have charged the manager with a felony for allegedly contaminating a customer’s meal. Disturbingly, the affected customer claims the act led to a herpes infection.
Amanda Hendricks, who once managed the Arby’s location in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, is facing charges for felony poisoning with the intent to harm. This charge follows a thorough investigation into events from March, during which customer Jennica Church reportedly became the unwitting victim, as per court documents referenced by local media.
“I used to love Arby’s — but not anymore,” said Jennica Church in an interview with KJRH.
Supporting documentation, as outlined by the police, includes surveillance footage allegedly depicting Hendricks spitting into the sandwiches she was assembling for Church. In a related civil lawsuit, Church contends that Hendricks was suffering from an active herpes outbreak at the time and subsequently alleges that Church contracted HSV-1 after consuming the tainted meal.
Amanda Hendricks now faces serious charges following the investigation into the alarming claims that food at the Oklahoma Arby’s was deliberately contaminated. (McCurtain County Jail)
Church told KJRH that she stopped at the restaurant after a late bartending shift in March and noticed her order was taking longer than expected.
“It was taking a little bit of time,” Church told the station. “I thought they were mad at me because it was about to close.”
An Oklahoma Arby’s manager was charged with felony poisoning after police said surveillance video showed her allegedly spitting into a customer’s food. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
According to KJRH, Church said she had a minor history with Hendricks but nothing significant.
On the night of the alleged incident, Church said she ate one sandwich while pulling out of the Arby’s parking lot and brought the remaining food home, where it was shared with her husband and a relative receiving hospice care.
According to the lawsuit, Church later developed a lesion on her lip and eventually tested positive for HSV-1.
The customer, Jennica Church, filed a lawsuit claiming the contaminated meal later led to an HSV-1 infection and alleging the worker had visible symptoms while on shift. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Local police launched an investigation into the incident after receiving information from another Arby’s employee who alleged a co-worker had spat into a customer’s order, according to court records cited by local media.
Investigators obtained surveillance video from the restaurant and concluded it showed Hendricks spitting into food being prepared for Church, according to an affidavit cited by KJRH and KXII. Police say the surveillance appeared to show Hendricks lowering her head toward sandwich ingredients before saliva fell onto the food.
Hendricks was later charged with felony poisoning with intent to injure. She is being held in McCurtain County Jail, according to Oklahoma outlet KXII.
Church’s lawsuit alleges Hendricks knowingly worked while experiencing an active herpes outbreak and claims Arby’s restaurant operators allowed her to remain working despite having visible symptoms.
Arby’s did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for comment.