Former WWE wrestler Curtis Axel arrested for DWI in McDonald’s drive-thru incident
Former WWE wrestler Curtis Axel (Joseph Hennig) is facing several charges related to an incident that took place at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Minnesota.
Records show that Axel was arrested in Anoka County on May 17 on charges of DWI (refusing to submit to chemical test) and failing to stop for an accident. The Watch MN reports that charges also include obstructing the legal process, having an open bottle of alcohol in his car, and disorderly conduct. Axel was released from jail on May 19.
According to an arrest report obtained by The Watch MN, police were dispatched to a McDonald’s in St. Francis shortly before 9 p.m. due to a property damage crash where a vehicle backed into another in the drive-thru. Police found Axel slowly navigating the parking lot and claim that he smelled strongly of alcohol, had bloodshot and watery eyes, and was slurring his speech. An open bottle of vodka was found in the vehicle.
Police say the 46-year-old Axel had to physically be removed from his vehicle, was swearing at them, and uttered a slur.
“When instructed to step out of the vehicle, Hennig reportedly refused,” The Watch MN wrote. “Officers subsequently opened the door, reached inside to turn off the engine, and placed the keys on the passenger seat. After continued defiance, officers physically removed Hennig from the truck, escorted him to the ground, and handcuffed him. While seated in the squad car, an officer read him the Minnesota Breath Test Advisory. Hennig allegedly refused chemical testing and responded with profanities, including, ‘I don’t give a s***,’ and ‘f*** you, you f*****.'”
Axel is also said to have sworn at the McDonald’s staff and the female driver that he backed into.
“During the investigation, a McDonald’s employee reported that Hennig had been mumbling in the drive-thru before pulling forward, swearing at staff, and backing into another vehicle,” The Watch MN’s report says. “He then allegedly opened his door and yelled at the female driver, calling her a ‘b****’ and a ‘p****.’ An inventory search of his vehicle prior to towing yielded a 750 mL open bottle of Phillips vodka on the front passenger-side floorboard.”
The most serious of the charges Axel is facing, the two related to DWI/DUI, are classified as gross misdemeanors, which are serious misdemeanors that do not rise to the level of a felony.
Curtis Axel in WWE —
Axel, the son of late wrestling legend Curt Hennig, is a former WWE Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion. He was released by the company amid the COVID pandemic in 2020 but later returned in 2022 for a brief stint as a part-time producer. His biggest push as a wrestler came when WWE paired him with manager Paul Heyman. Axel was later part of WWE’s comedic B-Team faction.
In May of last year, Axel competed in an indie match for Midwest All-Star Wrestling in Minnesota.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.