WEBSTER COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A man was arrested after he allegedly walked into Saint Michael's Parish Catholic Church in Sebree, Kentucky, and strangled the priest.
According to an arrest citation, on December 23, Steven Sargent walked into the church only wearing a t-shirt and underwear.
When arriving on the scene, officers say Sargent was yelling, causing several children to cry.
The priest told officers that "Sargent walked into the church and began yelling and saying disrespectful things about the religion." He says that he approached Sargent and told him to leave. According to the arrest citation, Sargent then "hit the priest in the chest and put both hands around his neck and began strangling him."
The arrest citation states that three men in the church restrained Sargent until police arrived.
The arresting officer says he asked Sargent if he had taken anything, and he replied that he "smoked meth 15 minutes prior to walking into the church."
According to the arrest citation, Sargent told the officer that his house had a meth lab inside that was about to explode where his wife and child were.
KSP responded to the home, but no drugs or meth lab was found.
He was lodged in the Webster County Detention Center and charged with the following:
- first-degree strangulation
- fourth-degree assault
- first-degree disorderly conduct
- false report of an incident to law enforcement
