LARGO — A man who told police he was upset with the staff at Largo's Faith United Methodist Church rammed his car into the church early Sunday in what police are calling an attempted suicide.
Phillip Glenn Wagner, 54, of Largo was charged with criminal mischief at a place of worship and remained under suicide watch Monday at the Pinellas County Jail.
Police said he was uninjured in the wreck. The crash occurred at 3:30 a.m. and caused more than $20,000 in damage to the church's school entrance, said Brian Smawley, a church administrator. The church was empty at the time, he said.
Wagner told police he felt "betrayed" that church staff members refused to help him in his time of need. Smawley said the church has never had contact with Wagner. A phone call to the home of the Rev. Eric McCrea, the church's pastor, was not returned Monday.
Because the damage was at the school entrance, Sunday services were not disrupted. But church members were thinking of Wagner, Smawley said. "We asked the congregation to be in prayer for that man," Smawley said.
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