By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY – Daniel Lynn Beam wasn’t in church Sunday for the sermon.
The 23-year-old was found passed out in the women’s restroom of a church on N.C. 152 near Iredell County. Beam was arrested and charged with two felonies.
The Rev. Joanne Hall of Prospect Presbyterian Church told deputies she had been preparing for her Sunday service about 8:30 a.m. when she went downstairs to the restroom.
In the women’s lounge, Hall said, she screamed when she found Beam asleep on a couch. A church elder rushed to help and they called the authorities.
Sporting a tattoo that said “Judge This” and smelling of popcorn, Beam told deputies he entered the church because it was cold outside. The 23-year-old said he had been at a party near Wilkinson Road prior to entering the church. Officers found the back door had been kicked in.
Beam’s lip was damaged and he told deputies his face and nose hurt, an arrest report said, but he was sure he wasn’t in a fight.
Beam said “he had no clue how they got like that,” the report said.
Hall said she smelled popcorn earlier that morning. An empty popcorn bag was found in a nearby trash can.
Beam “stated that he did remember eating popcorn, and that it tasted good,” the report said.
Beam was charged with felony breaking and entering and felony larceny after breaking and entering.
He was released after posting a $5,000 bond.