Jeff Beltz, an associate pastor at the influential Hydesville Community Church, was arrested Saturday afternoon on one felony charge of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse.

Beltz was arrested in the church parking lot after allegedly striking his wife in the face with an open hand, according to Lt. Steve Knight of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The officer at the scene reported that the alleged blow was strong enough to break the woman’s glasses.

Officers received a call concerning the confrontation in the church parking lot at around 2 p.m., Knight said. Beltz was booked into custody shortly after 4 p.m. on $50,000 bail. He bailed out that evening.

According to the church’s website, Beltz has been at Hydesville for nearly 20 years and is the leader of the “men’s ministry,” which includes the Christian Outdoorsmen of Humboldt County, a father/son hunting and fishing group. The purpose of the men’s ministry, according to the site, is to…

… reach our church and the Eel River Valley (and affect the country and world), with the love of Christ by igniting men to salvation, then challenging and training them to be bold and brave, valourous Christians in reaching their families and community for God and eternity.