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Central pastor provides update after battery arrest; neighbor speaks out following incident
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CENTRAL - Pastor Tony Spell addressed the media Wednesday, saying threats from his neighbor compelled him to run across a four-lane highway and attack the man.
Spell, the main pastor of Life Tabernacle Church on Hooper Road, was arrested by deputies after the altercation. He said he was working on a church bus when he heard the neighbor's son yelling from outside their home across the road.
"He said, 'Tony, I'm gonna rape your wife, I'm gonna rape all of your grandchildren,' and he said, 'The next time you go out of town, I'm gonna kill them, and what the F are you going to do about it?" Spell said.
The pastor said that as the "natural protector" of his family and church, it was his job to take action.
"I have a duty and obligation to do what I did," Spell said.
WBRZ spoke with the neighbors, the Sherwins, who said that Spell's claims are not true and connected to the recent end of a legal battle that started after Spell was arrested for disregarding Coronavirus mandates and holding church services while stay-at-home orders were in effect.
"This pastor is a bully who gets mad when he does not get his way," the Sherwins said.
Spell was alongside his attorney, Jeff Wittenbrink, and backed by church members who stood behind him during Wednesday's press conference. He claims that parishioners are also victims and have been shouted at by the church's neighbors.
"As a shepherd, I have not allowed the sheep to attack the wolves for what was said to them," Spell said.
The Sherwins' cameras captured Tuesday's altercation. WBRZ obtained a clearer and closer view of the fight. During the video, Spell can be heard screaming what sounds like, “I’m going to break your neck!"
The pastor can also be seen on top of the 20-year-old alleged victim and turning his head aggressively.
Wittenbrink said that members of the church have made many complaints about the Sherwins to the Central Police Department, calling the situation a "law enforcement failure." He claimed Central officers were working in conjunction with the neighboring family against Spell and the church.
"The Central city police are friends with these folks across the street," he said. "When Pastor Spell was being surveilled 24/7, it was with the help of the man across the street."
Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran issued a statement Wednesday evening, saying the sheriff's office serves the area and his department only has one complaint from the church about the Sherwins that has been filed over the last four years.
"Allegations that the Central Police Department has failed to investigate complaints lodged by Pastor or Mrs. Spell are untrue. Our records reflect only 5 incidents involving Pastor or Mrs. Spell in the past 4 years, and only one of those involved a complaint against their neighbors. All calls to our department are recorded, and all persons who visit our department to make in-person complaints are captured on video. If dates and times complaints were allegedly made are provided to me, I will order an audit of our systems to investigate any claim of a failure to investigate," Corcoran said in a statement.
Spell was issued six misdemeanor summonses by Central Police officers in 2020, when he held church services as COVID cases across the state rose.
Spell sued former Governor John Bel Edwards, East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux and Corcoran, adding the Sherwins to the lawsuit in 2023 when their home security system caught footage of Spell allegedly trying to hit a protester outside Life Tabernacle Church with a church bus. He was arrested for aggravated assault but was never formally charged in the case.
Spell bonded out of East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Tuesday evening.
Watch the full news conference here:
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