Maryland
Maryland wacko allegedly pours whiskey in holy water at church on Christmas Eve, pelts parishioner with tangerines
He had too much holiday spirit.
A fiend went on a sacrilegious rampage at two Maryland churches on Christmas Eve, pouring whiskey in the holy water at one place of worship before he was detained by fed-up parishioners, authorities said.
Thomas Campbell Bolling Von Goetz ensured he was placed on the naughty list – and in a jail cell – this holiday season after he disrupted two Catholic Masses within a few hours, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office said.
Von Goetz, 56, allegedly began his Grinch-like antics around 5 p.m. when he entered Holy Angels Catholic Church in the community of Avenue during Mass and dropped an onion in the aisle as he walked up to the altar.
As an attendee followed him outside, Von Goetz started pelting the person with tangerines before fleeing, authorities alleged.
Then hours later at midnight Mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Leonardtown, he allegedly dumped whisky into the holy water and threatened parishioners, the sheriff’s office said.
Igor Normann – stock.adobe.com
Churchgoers battled to boot Von Goetz outside as he tried to hit several people with his bottle of liquor, according to the law enforcement agency.
Ultimately, parishioners detained the suspect until deputies arrived.
He was taken to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital for medical evaluation, and then on Thursday he was officially arrested.
Von Goetz, who flashed a devilish grin in his mug shot, was 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.
Maryland
University of Maryland football player arrested for harassment
A University of Maryland (UMD) football player was arrested for harassment, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
Dontay Joyner, a defensive back and rising senior at UMD, was charged with telephone misuse for making repeated calls, electronic communications harassment, and violating release conditions, a misdemeanor offense, according to court records.
Joyner’s attorney is calling the ordeal “outrageous,” saying “[Joyner] has been locked in a cage in Harford County for seven nights after being charged with a misdemeanor for telephone misuse for texting his longtime girlfriend during an argument. This is simply outrageous.”
Joyner’s attorney, Former Attorney General Douglas Gansler, said the 21-year-old has never been in trouble with the law and does not own a handgun. According to Gansler, Joyner’s girlfriend is “fully supportive of him and does not want to press charges.”
According to the UMD Terps website, Joyner is a Lakeland, Florida, native who previously attended Arkansas State. In the spring, Joyner was given the Nick Cross Defensive Back Award in a tradition that honors “past terrapin greats.”
According to court records, Joyner was held without bond.
WJZ has reached out to UMD officials for comment.
Maryland
America250 Events In Maryland: What’s Happening Through July 4
In Maryland, residents can find parades, concerts, history programs, fireworks, volunteer opportunities and family-friendly celebrations leading up to Independence Day.
America250, the national semiquincentennial initiative, is encouraging communities to take part through local commemorations, block parties, service projects and July 4 events. State and local commissions, historical societies, museums, libraries, parks departments and civic groups are also hosting events tied to the milestone.
Maryland
Open primaries advocates push D.C. and Maryland to expand voter access
Open primaries advocate Jeremy Gruber says nearly 100,000 independent voters in D.C. remain locked out of primary elections despite voters overwhelmingly approving open primaries in 2024. On The Final 5 with Jim Lokay, he blames the D.C. Council for refusing to fund the change and says similar efforts are gaining momentum in Maryland, where more than one million independents are also excluded from primaries. Gruber argues that in many one-party jurisdictions, the primary is effectively the election, making voter access even more critical.
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