A Georgia man stands accused of breaking into a Panama City Beach, Florida, church, purportedly vandalizing the interior and stealing electronics before baptizing himself.

Derek Porter is alleged to have used a cinderblock to smash a window to enter the church Friday. An unnamed woman working at the church at the time of the incident fled to safety upon hearing the glass break, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said.

From there, Mr. Porter is accused of causing $8,000 in damage to the interior of the house of worship before then taking electronics, including a TV and a computer to his truck, along with the church’s money bag.

Mr. Porter told the BCSO deputies that he could not remember various moments of his supposed sojourn inside the church. What Mr. Porter said he did remember was wading into the church’s pool and baptizing himself — or, as he claims, having his head held down in the font by “something.”

In addition to the electronics Mr. Porter is accused of having stolen, investigators found meth and associated paraphernalia on Mr. Porter. 

Mr. Porter, who was out on bond for a burglary committed in Georgia at the time of the incident, has now been charged with criminal mischief, burglary, possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.