A former Oklahoma Arby's manager is facing a felony poisoning charge after surveillance video allegedly showed her spitting into a customer's food. The incident led to a lawsuit filed by the customer, claiming the customer contracted a herpes infection.
Amanda Hendricks, a former manager at an Arby's restaurant in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was charged with felony poisoning with intent to injure. The charge stems from a March incident involving customer Jennica Church, according to court records.
"I love Arby’s — not anymore," Jennica Church said in a statement. Church stopped at the restaurant after a late bartending shift in March and noticed her order was taking longer than expected. She had a minor history with Hendricks, but nothing significant.
According to Church, 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. Church later developed a lesion on her lip and eventually tested positive for HSV-1.
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. Investigators obtained surveillance video from the restaurant and concluded it showed Hendricks spitting into food being prepared for Church.
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 and is being held in McCurtain County Jail.
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 a request for comment on the incident.
