Background: Holy Angels Catholic Church in Avenue, Md. (Google Maps). Inset: Thomas Campbell Bolling Von Goetz (St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office).
A Maryland man was arrested on Christmas Eve after disrupting church services at two different churches and allegedly pouring whiskey into the holy water.
Thomas Campbell Bolling Von Goetz, 56, was taken into custody on Dec. 24 after incidents at the Holy Angels Catholic Church in Avenue, Maryland and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Leonardtown. According to a news release from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Von Goetz allegedly assaulted parishioners with produce at one church and then poured whiskey into the holy water at the second location. He also allegedly threatened to harm someone with the whiskey bottle.
The first alleged incident at the Holy Angels church took place during a 5:00 p.m. service. Police said that Von Goetz “approached the altar and dropped an onion in the aisle,” disrupting the service. After he was escorted outside by someone in attendance, he allegedly assaulted them “by throwing tangerines at them.”
But Von Goetz’s alleged reign of holiday terror did not end there. During a midnight mass service at St. Francis Xavier, Von Goetz allegedly interrupted services again when he “pour[ed] whiskey into the holy water and threaten[ed] to harm parishioners.” Police stated that Von Goetz was once again escorted out of the building. But once he was outside, he allegedly tried to assault them with his whiskey bottle. Parishioners detained him until deputies arrived, at which point they took him to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital to be evaluated.
The sheriff’s office did not disclose what came of that evaluation. Von Goetz was arrested on Dec. 26 and charged with several offenses: second-degree assault, disorderly conduct, defacing religious property, religious crime against a group, obstructing a religious exercise, threat of mass violence, and disturbing the peace. He is currently being held at St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center until his first court date.
