Woodbridge, USA - A Catholic priest was arrested in an assault on a fellow priest during a dispute at a Northern Virginia parish, authorities said Tuesday night.
The Rev. Charles C. Smith 45, of Woodbridge was arrested on a charge of unlawful wounding in connection with the Nov. 22 incident at Our Lady of Angels parish in Woodbridge, one of the larger parishes in the Washington region.
The alleged victim was identified by a spokeswoman for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington as the Rev. Paul Eversole, parish pastor.
He was treated at a hospital for what the spokeswoman, Joelle Santolla, described as facial injuries.
In a letter to the parish, Bishop Paul S. Loverde, head of the diocese, called the news distressing.
He also wrote that priests are human, with "faults and shortcomings like the rest of us."
The spokeswoman said she thought the dispute broke out in the church office, where "a simple disagreement" over office matters " escalated quickly."
Smith has been relieved of duties as parochial vicar pending resolution of the matter. A Dec. 14 court date has been set.
Our Lady of Angels has more than 10,000 registered parishioners.
Smith had been there since 2006; Eversole, since 2005.