- High Point Pastor Dwayne Wayden, 57, fumed after his restaurant manager's wife told him the staff had been rude to her
- The part-time semi-truck driver walked around the counter, grabbed the cook and tried to bury his head in the fryer, police said
- Wayden is charged with assault and battery, his wife has been fired
A pastor who promised “new levels of ministry” by 2024 tried to give a McDonald's worker a baptism of fire in a deep fryer after he “disrespected” his wife.
Trainee manager Latoya Gladney, 44, called her husband at the franchise in High Point, North Carolina, on December 28 to complain that her staff was rude to her.
When he arrived, Pastor Dwayne Wayden walked around the counter and began punching Theodore Garlington in the face.
The Elevated Life International Ministries pastor then grabbed the hapless cook and began pushing his head toward one of the fryers where temperatures could reach 400 degrees, before “several employees” managed to drag him away, police reported.
“The victim suffered a large bruise to the forehead and right eye, along with scratches to his neck,” investigators discovered when they arrived.
Wrath of God: Pastor Dwayne Wayden is charged with assault and battery after the attack on a McDonald's branch in High Point, North Carolina, three days after Christmas
Trainee restaurant manager Latoya Gladney, 44, had called her new husband to complain that restaurant staff were 'disrespectful' to her
Pastor Wayden had promised “new levels of ministry” by 2024 on his Facebook page
Wayden, 57, who also works as a truck driver, was arrested for assault and battery when police reviewed security footage of the attack and taken to High Point Police Headquarters, where he was released on $1,000 bail.
An ambulance was called for 34-year-old Garlington, but he asked family members to take him to hospital.
In his New Year's message, Wayden spoke about “leaving the old mentality behind and embracing the new life ahead.”
“Don't be afraid to try something new if you know the old way of doing things isn't working,” he advised.
His church offers a series of videos on its website for “spiritual healing of the flesh,” but one with advice on “annoyance, disappointment, and suffering” promises only “content coming soon.”
Wayden, who revealed his marriage to Gladney in a November Facebook post, runs his department of the ministry from a storefront next to Bueno Burrito in nearby Thomasville.
He is scheduled to appear in court on January 22.
And reports of his ungodly behavior have not been well received on social media, with some accusing him of behaving like a 'thug'.
“He turned the other cheek with both hands on the child's throat!” wrote Dave and Paulette Widing.
“You will know them by their fruits.”
“Forgiveness stops right in front of the counter at McDonalds,” wrote David Scott.
The local McDonald's franchise confirmed that Gladney was no longer with the organization
The couple had only been married for a month when the McDonald's incident occurred
Temperatures in a McDonald's deep fryer can reach 400 degrees
“Your Honor, this was all a misunderstanding,” Alan Fox added.
“My client, Pastor Wayden, simply wanted to anoint Mr. Garlington with oil.”
The local McDonald's franchise confirmed to CBS News that the woman was no longer with the organization, adding, “The safety and security of our employees and customers is our top priority.”
High Point police will hold a “Coffee With a Cop” event at the restaurant next week.