By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
PENTWATER — A 23-year-old Pentwater man was arrested by Oceana County sheriff’s deputies after allegedly disrupting an outdoor church service on the Village Green Sunday morning, July 27.
The man, who has been charged with disturbing religious services, allegedly wore a mask and yelled, “Torture to all and hell” while walking in front of the congregation. The same man was also observed earlier that day wearing a mask and yelling profanities while riding a bicycle on the Pentwater Pier at the Charles Mears State Park Lake Michigan beach.
A 911 caller reported that he was “talking about the devil and being very violent” during the Pentwater Centenary United Methodist Church service, states the police report. The church leader told investigating deputies that during the service he started “yelling about the devil and threatening the congregation. He had asked several ushers to escort him away from the group. After the services, the pastor received several phone calls from people who had witnessed the event and advised they had been very uncomfortable. (The pastor) advised he was very concerned for the children who attended the service.”
The mask that he wore covered his entire face, according to the police report. “He yelled about the devil for several minutes, causing a disturbance for the service and threatening everyone there.”
The suspect was identified and located at a residence on Adams Road. He was wearing the same clothes that he had on during the church service, which was video recorded. Although, he was no longer wearing the face mask. Police asked him what happened at church, and he said he was “pissed off and told Satan off.” He also advised he was on the pier earlier that morning. “He then asked if I was Satan, and I advised I am not,’” the officer wrote in the report.
The suspect was arrested and lodged in the Oceana County Jail.
“We are certainly concerned about his mental state,” said Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast. “He doesn’t appear to be acting as a person of sound mind.”
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