Curtis Axel, the ring name of Joseph Hennig, was arrested in Anoka County, Minnesota, on May 17 after a drive‑thru crash at a McDonald’s in St. Francis, authorities said.
Police were dispatched shortly before 9 p.m. for a property‑damage crash in the drive‑thru and found Hennig slowly navigating the parking lot. Records and the arrest report show he was taken into custody on third‑degree driving while impaired and failing to stop after an accident, and that two of the most serious counts related to DWI and DUI were classified as gross misdemeanors.
Authorities allege Hennig smelled strongly of alcohol, had bloodshot, watery eyes and was slurring his speech; an open 750 mL bottle of Phillips vodka was found on the front passenger‑side floorboard of his vehicle. The report says officers instructed Hennig to step out of the truck and that he refused; officers opened the door, reached inside to turn off the engine and placed the keys on the passenger seat before physically removing him, escorting him to the ground and handcuffing him.
Hennig was charged with third‑degree driving while impaired, refusing to give a chemical test, obstructing the lawful execution of a legal process, possessing an open bottle of alcohol in the car, and failing to stop after an accident to property that did not involve any injuries. The Watch MN reported additional counts of obstructing the legal process, having an open bottle in the car and disorderly conduct. An officer read Hennig the Minnesota Breath Test Advisory while he was seated in a squad car; the arrest report says he refused chemical testing.
The incident report includes several confrontational details. A McDonald’s employee told police Hennig had been mumbling in the drive‑thru before pulling forward, swearing at staff and backing into another vehicle, then opening his door and yelling at the female driver, allegedly calling her a "b****" and a "p****." The report says Hennig was swearing at police, allegedly uttered a homophobic slur, and, when officers attempted to place him in the squad car, said, "I don’t give a s***" and "f*** you, you f*****."
Axel — the son of the late wrestling legend Curt Hennig — is a familiar name to wrestling fans. He was part of WWE from 2007 to 2020, won the Intercontinental Championship once and the RAW Tag Team Championship twice. He was released from WWE in April 2020 as part of COVID‑19‑related budget cuts, rehired in April 2022 as a producer and let go three months later. In May of last year he appeared in an independent match for Midwest All‑Star Wrestling in Minnesota.
The arrest report paints a scene of repeated defiance and alleged intoxication, yet the criminal counts stemming from the May 17 encounter were filed as two gross misdemeanors and several related charges rather than felonies, a distinction that carries practical consequences for prosecution. The Watch MN’s reporting of disorderly conduct alongside the official arrest record underscores the range of allegations authorities say they discovered at the scene.
Hennig was released from jail on May 19, 2026. He now faces the listed gross‑misdemeanor DWI‑related counts and additional charges in Anoka County stemming from the McDonald’s drive‑thru crash, and the arrest report will form the basis of the local criminal case against him.
