A Wingstop employee in Tennessee has been charged with aggravated assault following an incident in which she allegedly threw hot cooking oil at two customers. The 25-year-old employee, Johnisa Herring, was arrested after a complaint affidavit was signed on Monday, relating to an altercation that took place several days prior.
On July 22, two women visited a Wingstop branch on Winchester Road in Memphis to collect an order. During their visit, a dispute arose between the women and Herring. According to the affidavit, Herring responded to the ongoing argument by going to the kitchen, filling a bowl with hot cooking oil, and throwing it at the two customers.
The hot oil struck one of the women in the face and upper torso, causing severe burns that required immediate hospitalization. The police reported that the woman now suffers from second-degree burns covering 18.5% of her body. The other woman was hit on her right shoulder, resulting in burns.
The woman with the more severe injuries later identified Herring as the person who threw the oil. The affidavit does not provide details on what sparked the argument between Herring and the two women.
Following the incident, Herring was detained in the Shelby County Jail with a bond set at $7,500. She was scheduled for arraignment on Friday, according to reports from a Memphis-based CBS affiliate, WREG. As of Saturday, Herring was no longer listed on the jail’s inmate roster, indicating that she may have been released. Herring is due to make her next court appearance on August 25.
Wingstop is a Texas-based restaurant chain known for its chicken wings. The company has yet to comment on the incident involving its employee.