An Arby's manager in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, has been charged with felony poisoning with intent to injure following an investigation into a March incident where she is accused of spitting into a customer's food. The customer, Jennica Church, alleges the contaminated food led to a herpes infection and has filed a civil lawsuit.
According to court documents, Broken Bow police obtained surveillance video from the restaurant. An affidavit cited by local outlets indicates the video appeared to show manager Amanda Hendricks spitting into sandwiches prepared for Church. Church reported that she stopped at the Arby's after a late bartending shift and noticed her order was taking longer than usual.
Church told outlet KJRH that she consumed one sandwich shortly after leaving the restaurant and brought the remaining food home, where it was shared with her husband and a relative receiving hospice care. The lawsuit claims Church later developed a lesion on her lip and subsequently tested positive for HSV-1.
The investigation was initiated after another Arby's employee reported that a coworker had allegedly spat into a customer's order. Police stated that the surveillance footage appeared to show Hendricks lowering her head toward sandwich ingredients before saliva fell onto the food.
Church's lawsuit further alleges that Hendricks was aware of having an active herpes outbreak at the time and that the restaurant operators permitted her to continue working despite exhibiting visible symptoms. Hendricks is currently being held at the McCurtain County Jail. Arby's has not yet responded to requests for comment.