Priest accused of attacking woman after argument during donation drop-off at church, records show
By Briauna Brown
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MIAMI (WFOR) — A Miami priest was arrested for allegedly attacking a woman during an argument over taking photos as she was donating items to the church, according to an arrest report.
Father Jesus Gabriel Saldana, 72, is facing multiple charges, including battery and criminal mischief, for an incident that took place on Nov. 6.
The arrest report states that at about 11:40 a.m. at St. Kevin Catholic Parish, located at 12525 SW 42nd Street near Kendale Lakes, a woman, identified as Ana Maria Lamar, was dropping off donations.
Lamar then wanted to take photos of her donations with a “politically inclined poster”, and Saldana, who was collecting the donations, approached her and told her she wasn’t allowed to do so, the report said.
And when Saldana asked Lamar to leave the church, she asked for her donations back, and an argument broke out.
The report said that during the argument, Lamar started taking pictures of Saldana, and he lunged at her, and a physical scuffle began.
Witnesses reportedly separated the two from each other; however, Saldana allegedly reached inside Lamar’s vehicle without her permission, and she then pushed him out of the way. When Lamar got into her driver’s seat, Saldana allegedly continued to “batter her while she was sitting” inside her vehicle, the report said.
During the renewed struggle, Saldana allegedly ripped off the vehicle’s rearview mirror and then reached inside Lamar’s passenger side window to grab her purse and emptied the contents on the ground in search of her phone.
Lamar, who was able to drive away, took herself to the hospital because she has a history of cardiac issues and wasn’t feeling well after the altercation with Saldana, police said in the report. She was later admitted.
On Saturday, Nov. 22, Saldana reported to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office in the Midwest District, initially denying the allegations. However, the affidavit didn’t say what he admitted to, in which Saldana was arrested and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
He was charged with burglary/occupied conveyance, battery on a person 65 or older and criminal mischief. Two days later, Saldana was released on bond.
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