A 56-year-old man accused of pouring whiskey into holy water and assaulting local residents was arrested and faces seven charges in Leonardtown, Maryland, according to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.

Thomas Campbell Bolling Von Goetz, of Avenue, entered Holy Angels Catholic Church during a Mass and dropped an onion in the aisle. After a churchgoer followed Von Goetz as he exited the church to ensure he was leaving the premises, Von Goetz threw tangerines at the person outside the church, police said.

Later that night, during midnight Mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Leonardtown, Von Goetz disrupted the service by pouring whiskey into the holy water and threatening to harm parishioners.

After church attendees escorted him from the building, he attempted to strike several individuals with a whiskey bottle but missed, according to the sheriff’s report.

Parishioners detained Von Goetz until deputies arrived. He was then transported to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital for medical evaluation.

On Dec. 26, Von Goetz was arrested and charged with 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.

Von Goetz is currently being held at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, pending an appearance before a District Court commissioner.

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