Bay Area pastor allegedly stole more than $95,000 from parish collections

The priest's history of theft was discovered during a car crash investigation

A Bay Area pastor has been suspended for allegedly stealing more than $95,000 from parishes where he served over the past several years, according to the Diocese of Santa Rosa.

Father Oscar Diaz, the former pastor at Resurrection Parish in Santa Rosa, was involved in a car crash on June 19, in which he fractured his hip.

While responding to the crash, emergency medical technicians discovered bags containing stolen parish collections totaling more than $18,000 inside Diaz’s vehicle, according to a statement from the Diocese.

After further investigation, Diocese officials uncovered that Diaz had allegedly stolen an additional $77,000 in cash from other parishes where he previously served, including Saint Mary Parish in Lakeport and Our Lady Queen of Peace in Clearlake.

“I am deeply grieved that this has happened and am deeply saddened that the parishes he was sent to serve have been harmed,” Bishop Robert Vasa said in the statement.

Although Vasa asked the police to investigate the matter for “possible criminal prosecution”, they determined that “the protocols surrounding collection accounting would make it difficult to arrive at sufficient proof of theft to pursue criminal prosecution,” the statement said.

Diaz was suspended from his role as pastor in Santa Rosa and his future for ministry in the church is “uncertain,” the statement said.