An Oklahoma Arby’s manager faces severe criminal allegations after a customer, Jennica Church, contracted HSV-1, more famously known as herpes, following an incident on Monday. June 22. Law enforcement officials launched an investigation into the fast-food franchise location after the victim reported that the employee intentionally spat into her meal during a heated drive-thru dispute. 

According to local police reports, the victim consumed the contaminated food before developing sudden, painful medical symptoms. Subsequent clinical testing confirmed the presence of the herpes virus. Subsequent clinical testing confirmed the presence of the herpes virus, prompting investigators to trace the biological transmission back to her recent restaurant interaction. 

Investigators focused their attention on the shift manager after review of security footage and register logs established a clear timeline of the confrontation. Management at the Oklahoma franchise location confirmed the employee has been suspended indefinitely pending the final outcome of the judicial process. Corporate representatives emphasized that the brand enforces a zero-tolerance policy for food tampering and adheres to strict safety protocols across all nationwide establishments. 

 

The victim, Church says, “It was taking a little bit of time. I thought they were mad at me because it was about to close.”

According to the affidavit, surveillance video captures Hendricks preparing sandwich meat before leaning down toward the food, with police noting that saliva is visible dropping onto the meal. The incident occurred after Church, who had just completed a bartending shift, went through the restaurant’s drive-thru. 

Beyond the medical diagnosis, Church’s relatives face severe emotional distress. Her mother-in-law, Patricia Dollarhite, noted that family members, who split the meal live in fear of potential exposure, though no other public cases have surfaced. 

 

Dollarhite told KJRH, “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.” 

In addition to the criminal prosecution, Church and her family have launched a civil lawsuit targeting Hendricks, Arby’s, and the associated corporate entities. 

Though widely prevalent, herpes frequently remains asymptomatic. The virus is categorized into two strains: HSV-1, which generally causes oral outbreaks, and HSV-2, which is primarily linked to genital infections. Though both strains are capable of affecting either area. 

Transmission typically occurs through close contact with active sores, saliva, or the skin surrounding infected areas. Because the virus can also shed and spread when no symptoms are present, pinpointing exactly how or when someone was exposed is often challenging. Currently, medical science has not developed a cure or an approved vaccine for HSV. 

Disclaimer: Inquisitr individually could not independently confirm the facts of this incident and is reporting based on the official law enforcement information available within the media record.