A Sunday morning worship service at New River Church was interrupted by an outburst that led to the arrest of a 44-year-old woman. Audrey Bahneman faces one count of disturbance of religious worship following the incident, which occurred just before 10 a.m as reported by WCNC.
According to an incident report from the York County Sheriff’s Office, Bahneman entered the sanctuary and began screaming profanities at both the pastor and the assembled congregation. The disruption occurred as the church was beginning its morning activities.
Church security personnel intervened shortly after the shouting began and successfully escorted Bahneman out of the building. However, investigators noted that she repeatedly attempted to re-enter the facility to continue disrupting the service.
Deputies arrived at the scene and took Bahneman into custody. Under South Carolina law, disturbing a religious worship service is a misdemeanor offense that specifically protects the right of congregations to meet without intentional interference or disorderly conduct.
Bahneman was transported to the York County Detention Center, where she was initially held without bond. A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon at the York County jail, where a magistrate will determine the conditions of her release.
No injuries were reported, and the church was able to proceed with its scheduled programming following the arrest.
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