(January 11, 2007)—Jim Carlton Wooldridge, 61, the rector of the 123-year-old St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Lampasas, was free on bonds totaling $8,500 Thursday night after he was arrested earlier Thursday on warrants charging sexual assault and indecency with a child.

A press release issued Thursday evening by the Lampasas Police Department says the arrest warrants issued earlier in the day by Justice of the Peace Andrew Garcia for Wooldridge and a second man, John Christian Wood, 20, of Lampasas, stemmed from an investigation of a report “that a juvenile had been sexually assaulted” in the city.

Garcia issued two warrants charging sexual assault and a third charging indecency with a child naming Wooldridge and warrants charging sexual assault, indecency with a child and unlawful possession of a firearm naming Wood.

Wood, police said, was arrested during a traffic stop just after 10 a.m. Thursday, after which he was also charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Wooldridge was arrested after he surrendered to Lampasas police just after 4 p.m. at the Lampasas County Jail. He was later released on bond.

News Ten contacted Wooldridge by phone, but he said he had no statement.

The Texas Rangers are assisting with the investigation, the police department said.

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