An Oklahoma Arby’s manager was charged with felony poisoning after a customer claimed she contracted herpes from food that police say was contaminated when the employee spat into it.
Amanda Hendricks, a former manager at the fast-food restaurant in Broken Bow, Okla., is accused of contaminating food ordered by customer Jennica Church during a late-night visit on March 28, according to court records and a police affidavit.
“I love Arby’s — not anymore,” Church told Scripps News Group.
Church later filed a lawsuit against Arby’s, alleging she contracted HSV-1, commonly known as herpes, from the contaminated food.
Police launched an investigation after receiving a report from an Arby’s employee who claimed another worker had spit into a customer’s meal, according to the affidavit.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for surveillance footage from the restaurant and reviewed video recorded the night Church placed her order.
“It was taking a little bit of time,” Church recalled. “I thought they were mad at me because it was about to close.”
The footage shows Hendricks handling meat for a sandwich before lowering her head toward the food, the affidavit alleges. Police wrote that saliva could be seen falling onto the sandwich.
Church said she had stopped at the restaurant after finishing a bartending shift and purchased a meal through the drive-thru.
After reviewing the footage, police contacted Hendricks and arranged an interview.
Authorities subsequently sought a warrant charging her with felony poisoning with intent to injure.
Church’s family says the fallout extended far beyond her diagnosis. The bartender’s mother-in-law, Patricia Dollarhite, said relatives who shared the food became terrified they may have been exposed to the virus, though no additional infections have been reported publicly.
“My son was sitting at my table, eating breakfast and he wanted a kiss, and he could not get one, so you bet I’m angry,” Dollarhite told KJRH.
“I see what it’s doing to my grandchildren, my son, my husband.”
The criminal case sparked a civil lawsuit filed by Church and members of her family against Hendricks, Arby’s and affiliated restaurant entities.
The lawsuit alleges Church later developed symptoms and was diagnosed with HSV-1 following the incident.
Herpes is common and often goes unnoticed. HSV-1 is typically linked to oral herpes, while HSV-2 is more often associated with genital herpes — but either type can infect the mouth or genitals.
The virus spreads mainly through direct contact with sores, saliva or skin around the mouth or genitals. It can also spread when a person has no visible symptoms, which makes tracing the source of an infection difficult.
There is no cure for herpes and no licensed HSV vaccine.
Antiviral drugs such as acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir can shorten outbreaks, reduce recurrences and lower transmission risk, but they do not eliminate the virus from the body.
Whether the alleged contamination caused that diagnosis remains unresolved.
The Post has sought comment from local police, Church and Hendricks.
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