Missing NY pastor found in OH strip club

ABC13 ^ | March 28, 2008

[Alex Murphy]

A pastor whose disappearance from a small town in upstate New York triggered a search by police and the FBI was found earlier today -- inside an Ohio strip club.

Police said that when the Rev. Craig S. Rhodenizer, 46, was confronted by an officer, he began crying and said he couldn't remember anything about the 36 hours he was missing.

But dancers at the club remembered Rhodenizer. They told investigators that Rhodenizer spent two hours drinking, soliciting dances and making threatening comments. He also said he wanted to take the dancers back to his motel, according to the police report. In his car was a bottle of Bacardi rum.

Sgt. Frank Previte, an investigator with the Lewiston Police Department, told ABC News it was one of the most bizarre cases he's seen.

"They questioned him a bit. He was very distraught, crying and hysterical," Previte said. "He did not know where he was."

Rhodenizer was discovered more than 400 miles from his Lewiston, N.Y., home by police in Riverside, Ohio, who were checking out-of-state license plates of cars parked at the club in a high-crime section of the city.

When officers ran the New York license plate on Rhodenizer's Toyota Camry, the check showed the pastor as a missing person being sought by New York police and FBI. Riverside police called authorities in Lewiston and were instructed to approach Rhodenizer.

The pastor broke down when police asked if he was Rhodenizer, crying and asking about the welfare of his wife and son, according to a Lewiston police report. Ohio police took Rhodenizer to a hospital and towed his car.

Previte was relieved the search for Rhodenizer ended safely for the pastor, even if it was under unseemly circumstances.

"Regardless, we don't have any indication that a crime has been committed," Previte said. "And I don't see that changing."

Susan Rhodenizer, the pastor's wife, told ABC News that the family is making arrangements for her husband to return home.

"This was very much a stress-induced emotional crisis," his wife said. "He's never had any of this, historically." The family intends to seek ongoing mental health treatment for Rhodenizer.

Susan Rhodenizer reported her husband missing Wednesday after he said he was going to a Best Buy 30 minutes away to have a computer repaired. The family was scheduled to go on a vacation Thursday.

New York authorities initially feared the pastor may have been kidnapped and the FBI joined the search. They picked up a cell phone signal placing Rhodenizer in northern Pennsylvania Wednesday night, once at 9 p.m. and again at 9:30 p.m. Previte said there was no cell phone or credit card activity throughout Thursday.

Rhodenizer is the pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in the Village of Lydonville.

Police said the pastor did not have any relevant criminal history. "In our check into his background, we could not come up with anything that indicated this was stress-incuded," Previte said.

[fml]

Susan Rhodenizer, the pastor's wife, told ABC News that the family is making arrangements for her husband to return home.

Why??

[stuartcr]

If this ain’t news, I don’t know what is.

[wideawake]

I’m reminded of that pastor’s wife who disappeared on a trip in LA and was later discovered working as a waitress in upstate NY - she just completely abandoned her spouse and children to start a seedy new life without telling anyone.

[TexGuy]

When confronted, he should have just ran around in circles waving his hands and yelling, “BEES, THEY’RE EVERYWHERE. SAVE YOURSELVES!” ... it worked for ‘Tommy Boy’.

[latina4dubya]

this is just like a show i like to catch from time to time: Without a Trace...

[nuconvert]

LoL

[nuconvert]

why not?

[kcvl]

According to the report, two dancers in the bar said Rhodenizer paid for three or four private dances and then became argumentative about the price. One stated that he said he "hadn't been in a strip club for over 20 years and it was about time he was in one again."

A dancer complained that he used foul language, and became abusive when she refused his offer to pay her to return to a motel room with him, but said he didn't act disoriented or like he was having a medical problem inside the club.

[piasa]

and then became argumentative about the price.

Well, I couldn't believe he was really Lutheran until this part. Egad, to think I thought my pastor was straying too far from mainline.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

A strip club that’s worth a 400 mile drive?

It must be unbelievable!!!!!! I’m on my way!

Tell my wife and kids not to wait up.

[RightWhale]

Again? Increase his meds.

[Revolting cat!]

Police said that when the Rev. Craig S. Rhodenizer, 46,

Reverend's very effective pickup line has been, "Hey babe, wanna get rhodenized?"

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

St. John's Lutheran Church

Five'll getcha 13 it's ELCA.

[Alex Murphy]

Five'll getcha 13 it's ELCA.

All they gave me are $3 bills - can you make change?

[ladtx]

...he said he "hadn't been in a strip club for over 20 years and it was about time he was in one again."

I didn't realize we had a schedule we had to stick to.

[RDTF]

priceless

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

http://www.elca.org/ScriptLib/OS/Congregations/cdsSearch.asp?city=Lyndonville&state=NY

I win.

[Alex Murphy]

Five'll getcha 13 it's ELCA.

You win!

[OpusatFR]

“In our check into his background, we could not come up with anything that indicated this was stress-incuded,” Previte said.”

Oh. fer pete’s sake.

The guy may have a breakdown, as everyone can, no one is immune, and a cursory peek into his background shows no indication of stress.

“Sgt. Frank Previte, an investigator with the Lewiston Police Department...” has no business practicing medicine without a license.