Overview
- Father Jesus Gabriel Saldaña, 72, faces charges of burglary of an occupied conveyance, battery on a person 65 or older, and criminal mischief after an alleged altercation at St. Kevin Catholic Parish.
- The confrontation began during a donation drop-off when a woman tried to photograph items next to a politically themed poster, according to the arrest affidavit.
- Authorities say Saldaña lunged at the woman, reached into her vehicle, battered her as she sat in the driver’s seat, ripped off the rearview mirror, damaged the gear selector, and dumped her purse while searching for her phone.
- The woman, identified as Ana Maria Lamar, later drove herself to a hospital and was admitted due to cardiac concerns noted in the police report.
- Saldaña turned himself in on Nov. 22, was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, and was released on bond two days later as the archdiocese announced his administrative leave.