The family of a Louisiana pastor told police they had been harassed by a neighbor months before the preacher was accused of carrying out a violent assault.
Tony Spell’s wife, Shaye Spell, alleged that Scott Sherwin’s son had been tormenting her and, in one incident, nearly caused a crash after following her, WBRZ reported Thursday.
Shaye, who lives in Baton Rouge, La., filed a police report in May describing an alleged March encounter in which she said Sherwin’s son, Luke, made an obscene gesture at her, followed her in his vehicle and shouted profanities.
“Mrs. Spell stated she quickly moved forward out of fear of him approaching her,” police wrote in the report.
In a separate complaint, Shaye said Luke made the same gesture again as she and her husband were backing out of their driveway, just days after the earlier incident.
She also alleged that Luke “grabbed his crotch,” behavior she claimed had happened before, and then followed them. According to the complaint, he swerved across three lanes into their lane and nearly caused a collision.
Police have not identified Luke as the victim in Tuesday’s alleged attack.
Officers had previously warned Scott Sherwin that Luke should not follow or contact Shaye, according to the report.
But, the Spells’ reportedly saw the elder Sherwin being told by an officer — and allegedly charged up to him while holding their phones, according to a police report.
Cops ordered the pastor to get back into his truck – and also urged Scott Sherwin to “calm down.”
Sherwin allegedly gesticulated at the pastor – but cops didn’t take any further action.
Spell’s apparent rivalry with the Sherwins dates back to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, Spell – the pastor of the Life Tabernacle Church – sued Sherwin for installing surveillance cameras at his home.
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He claimed the devices were planted “to view those coming and going,” according to the lawsuit seen by The Advocate.
Spell also claimed he had been followed and his phone had been tapped in the civil suit filed against a slew of parties, including Governor John Bel Edwards, and officials from East Baton Rouge Parish.
The lawsuit was filed in May 2020 – just weeks after he was slapped with six misdemeanor counts for flouting a COVID ban on large gatherings.
In 2023, Shaye Spell claimed her neighbor “across the street” moved traffic cones to block her church’s entrance, according to WBRZ.
Spell, pastor of the Life Tabernacle Church, said Wednesday that Sherwin’s son threatened to rape and kill his wife and children as he explained the motive behind the now-viral attack.
He claimed Sherwin’s son hurled expletives while he was changing the battery of one of his buses.
Spell allegedly struck his victim eight times before wrestling him to the ground, where he threw another 27 punches, leaving the man needing five stitches to his chin.
Spell faces up to eight years in prison after being charged with second-degree battery. He defended his actions after being released on bond.
“He said, ‘Tony, I’m going to rape your wife, I’m going to rape all your grandchildren, and the next time you go out of town, I’m going to kill them,’” he told reporters Wednesday, explaining the motive behind the attack.
Spell said he had a “duty and obligation” to protect his family.
“Number one, I’m a husband, number two, I’m a father, and number three, I’m a pastor who shepherds his flock,” he said. “I will not allow a man to murder my children when I’m gone.”
Spell will appear in court on September 15.
