Louisiana pastor charged with battery after road clash

A Louisiana pastor has been charged with second-degree battery after a violent roadside altercation with a neighbor, an incident he claims was provoked by threats against his family. Tony Spell, the 48-year-old leader of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, near Baton Rouge, was arrested on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, following the confrontation on Hooper Road.

According to Spell, the physical clash began while he was performing maintenance on church buses. He stated that a 20-year-old neighbor, the son of Scott Sherwin, shouted threats across the street. Spell told reporters the young man threatened to assault his wife and grandchildren and to kill them the next time Spell left town. Spell described his subsequent actions as a duty to protect his family, stating he is the "natural protector" of his household and congregation.

Law enforcement documents and video footage of the incident tell a different story. The arrest affidavit indicates the younger man shouted an expletive at the pastor before the confrontation. Police reports allege Spell crossed the road and struck the man eight times before wrestling him to the ground and delivering approximately 27 more punches. Authorities...