Pastor Tony Spell, 48, of the Life Tabernacle Church in Louisiana, was arrested Tuesday on battery charges following an altercation with his neighbor's 20-year-old son. The incident occurred as Spell was working on his church's school buses. According to court documents, the neighbor's son allegedly hurled expletives and threatened to rape and kill Spell's wife and grandchildren.
Spell stated he felt a "duty and obligation" to protect his family, asserting his roles as a husband and father before his role as a pastor. "I will not allow a man to murder my children when I’m gone," Spell told WBRZ.
Footage of the incident shows Spell approaching the young man across the street from the church. Spell then allegedly assaulted the man multiple times, including wrestling him to the ground and delivering numerous punches. The victim reportedly required five stitches to his chin and suffered a twisted neck. Spell also allegedly threatened to break the man's neck.
Spell faces charges of second-degree battery, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to eight years. He is scheduled to appear in court on September 15 and expressed confidence that "the truth will come out in court."
This is not the first legal issue for Pastor Spell. He gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for holding in-person church services despite social distancing restrictions. In April 2020, he was accused of aggravated assault for allegedly backing a church bus toward a protester outside his church, though he was not formally charged in that incident. Spell also filed a lawsuit in 2020 related to surveillance cameras installed near his property, which he claimed were intended to monitor him. He described the recent altercation to his congregation as "domestic terrorism."