Thou shalt not drive through: Man arrested after using car to damage Henderson church

Kevin Wilson entered the Henderson church early Wednesday like most believers, through the front door.

But unlike other worshippers, he plowed through the Central Christian Church entrance while behind the wheel of a Kia Spectra.

Henderson police said that once inside, he continued driving and caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to the megachurch, at 1001 New Beginnings Drive, near U.S. Highway 95 and Russell Road.

The 51-year-old Las Vegas man, who had demanded a meeting with church officials several times Tuesday, was told to make an appointment and became angry.

Wilson was caught on the church’s surveillance before dawn Wednesday, “driving inside the building” about 5 a.m., said police, declining to release the video.

Church spokesman Ryan Moore said Wilson was shouting when he stormed into the church Tuesday. His agitated state immediately caught the attention of the church’s security personnel.

“He was demanding a conversation with a pastor immediately,” said Moore, who did not believe Wilson was a parishioner. “You could tell he wasn’t all there. ... It’s more sad than strange.”

Moore added that he didn’t know what motivated Wilson to use the church as his personal demolition derby.

The majority of the damage occurred when Wilson got out of his car and threw rocks, breaking four windows, Moore said.

The rampage triggered the church’s alarm system. Wilson was confronted by officers and later booked into the Henderson Detention Center on felony burglary and destruction of property charges.

Jail records late Wednesday afternoon showed he remained at the facility on $8,000 bail.

Police also accuse Wilson of destroying furniture and knocking holes into a wall.

A city inspector examined the building and determined the church had no structural damage.

A large piece of plywood now covers the shattered glass entrance, but little damage was visible from the outside Wednesday afternoon.

Despite Wilson’s haphazard drive through the church, Moore said services will be held as scheduled this week.

A longtime parishioner who was told of Wilson’s actions and declined to give her name said she felt bad for him.

But, she added, “Wow, we’ve got to control ourselves a little bit.”

Moore said it was not out of the question that one day Wilson would be accepted into the church.

“Our motto is, ‘It’s OK not to be OK,’ ” Moore said. “We’re a church about second chances.”

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at
aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.