Tony Spell, a 48-year-old pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been arrested and charged with second-degree battery following an alleged physical altercation with a 20-year-old man. The incident reportedly occurred Tuesday morning, just after 11 a.m., outside the church.

Spell appeared in court the same day and stated that he would present his case in court, adding that he had "a red hot sermon ready" for his congregation. He was released after posting a $25,000 bond and appeared in court with a visible cut on his face.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Daily Mail, the alleged victim sustained a broken bone below his right eye socket and required stitches for a cut under his chin. Police observed swelling and blood from the victim's nose, along with scratches on his forehead and eyebrow. Emergency medics indicated the possibility of a fractured orbital bone.

Video footage has emerged that appears to show two individuals fighting, with one collapsing on the grass. Another video, reportedly from the victim's cell phone, allegedly captured the victim shouting at Spell before the confrontation. The affidavit states the victim told police that Spell "continued to hit him" after he had "curled up on the ground."

Deputies responding to the scene found Spell at the church and he reportedly refused to speak without his attorney present. Relatives of the alleged victim indicated to local news outlets that there was a long-standing dispute between him and Spell.

This is not the first time Spell has been in legal trouble. He previously made headlines for his vocal opposition to coronavirus restrictions during the pandemic. In April 2020, he was arrested on accusations of attempting to drive a church bus over a protester outside his church. The charges related to that incident were later dropped, as the bus reportedly stopped before reaching the demonstrator, and hundreds of congregants defended the pastor at the time.

Spell is scheduled to appear in court again on September 15. He told reporters outside the courthouse that "the truth will come out in court."