Tony Spell: Louisiana Pastor Nearly Ran Over Protestor With Bus

UPDATE

(CNN)A Louisiana pastor who defied state orders and repeatedly held large church servicesduring the coronavirus pandemic has been charged again — this time for allegedly assaulting a protester outside his church.

Tony Spell, pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, was taken into police custody Tuesday, according to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. A day earlier, the Central Police Department had issued a warrant for his arrest, accusing him of aggravated assault.

CNN

The police department in Central, Louisiana, has issued a warrant for the arrest of the controversial pastor of Life Tabernacle Church, Tony Spell. The warrant accuses the pastor of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon following an incident captured on video in which Pastor Spell backed up his bus toward a protester, stopping just before it reached him.

A police spokesperson told Heavy: “An arrest warrant was issued today charging Pastor Spell with aggravated assault for his actions on April 19, 2020, where he backed his bus down the shoulder of the road near where a protester was standing. The protester contacted Central Police Department along with a witness who observed the incident and provided video footage of the incident in question.” The spokesperson confirmed that Spell has not been arrested at this time.

Heavy

“That man has been in front of my church driveway for three weeks now,” Preacher Spell said. “He shoots people obscene finger gestures and shouts vulgarities.”

The protester, Trey Bennett, denies ever using profanity or displaying obscene gestures. Bennett says he has been peacefully protesting in front of Spell’s church since Easter Sunday.

Bennett says he holds several different signs as he protests. One of his signs reads: “CAUTION: Coronavirus incubator. Do not enter. You may die.”

WAFB9

Last week Spell was challenging people to donate their stimulus check to evangelical churches, missionaries etc.

Also last week Jeff Wittenbrink, Tony Spell’s attorney, was hospitalized due to the coronavirus.

The bus incident was not Spell’s first run in with the law.