Former NJ pastor allegedly choked 4-month-old in Walmart checkout line

A former church pastor from New Jersey was arrested after he allegedly began choking a baby while standing in line at a Walmart in Overland Park, Kansas Wednesday morning.

According to the Kansas City Star, a mother was standing in a checkout line at about 7:30 a.m. with her 4-month old when a man walked up and allegedly started to choke the infant. Nearby shoppers helped subdue the man until police arrived and placed him under arrest, the article states.

According to NJ.com, the man, who was identified as identified as Oleh Zhownirovych, 54, was charged with aggravated battery. The Kansas City star article states that when he was booked at Johnson County jail, he listed his address as a Ukrainian Orthodox cathedral in Clifton, N.J. He left the position 10 months ago, NJ.com reported.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.