Man poured 'holy water' on 'witch' teacher

FERNDALE, Mich., Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Police in Ferndale, Mich., said an adult education student told them he poured holy water on his teacher because he thought she was a witch.

Darin Najor, 20, is due back in court Oct. 23 on a misdemeanor assault and battery charge after he allegedly poured a liquid on his English teacher at Taft Education Center and held a lighter near her while chanting what sounded like religious verses after an argument about Arthur Miller's play, "The Crucible," the (Royal Oak, Mich.) Daily Tribune reported Thursday.

"The suspect later told us he was trying to kill the witch by pouring holy water over her head," said Ferndale Police Detective Ken Denmark. "We confiscated two lighters from him and he was committed for psychiatric evaluation."

Denmark said the teacher told officers she had discussed "The Crucible," which deals with the events leading up to the Salem, Mass., witch trials in 1692, with Najor the day before the incident and she told him she does not believe in witchcraft.

"The suspect threw his homework papers on the floor and declared it was all blasphemy," Denmark said.