Doctor charged in fatal overdose
A former Shoshone County doctor has been indicted for allegedly overprescribing drugs that led to a patient’s overdose death.
Chris Arthur Christensen, 58, who is now practicing in Victor, Mont., pleaded not guilty to the charges in federal court Thursday. A trial has been set for Nov. 7. According to the charges, Christensen prescribed a mixture of methadone and the anti-anxiety drug alprazolam in February 2001 to a patient who died as a result of taking the drugs. Christensen was practicing medicine in Idaho at the time.
According to the indictment, the prescription was “outside the scope of professional practice” and not for a legitimate medical use. It doesn’t name the patient who died.
However, that same month, the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Department investigated the death of Clifton Martz, a 51-year-old patient of Christensen’s. Martz, a chronic pain sufferer, died at his home in Mullan, Idaho. The investigation revealed that Martz’s death was caused by a fatal overdose from drugs prescribed by Christensen.
Christensen is also charged with prescribing a mixture of controlled substances to other patients on 17 occasions between December 2000 and March 2001, which the indictment said were also outside the scope of legitimate medical use. The drugs included pain relievers and anti-anxiety medications.
If Christensen is convicted, he would face a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison for each charge.
Kootenai County
Resort developers appeal rejection
The developers of a golf course retreat on the east side of Lake Coeur d’Alene have appealed the Kootenai County Commission’s rejection of the multimillion dollar project.
Las Vegas-based Kirk-Hughes Development filed the appeal last week in 1st District Court, claiming the commission’s July decision on Chateau de Loire was discriminatory and unsupported. The appeal also states that the rejection was based partially on an issue not raised prior to the decision. The court document doesn’t provide any specifics.
Coeur d’Alene attorney Glen Walker, who represents the company, said Thursday that it was inappropriate to give details until he has time to review the specifics of the case, which could take months. He declined to characterize the alleged discrimination.
Deputy County Attorney John Cafferty wasn’t available for comment.
The commission rejected Chateau de Loire the same day that it approved the expansion of Black Rock, a similar golf resort on Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Post Falls
Mullan Trail screenings today
Parents of children 5 and younger can bring them to Mullan Trail Elementary School in Post Falls today for free developmental screenings.
The screening is intended to let parents know how their child’s speech and language skills are developing, as well as their muscle development, vision and hearing.
The screenings will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the elementary school’s developmental preschool. Parents are encouraged to call the preschool at (208) 457-0772 for appointments and information.
Reardon, Wash.
Man killed in crash with mixer
A fatal crash five miles north of Reardan, Wash., in Lincoln County, closed State Route 231 for more than three hours Thursday.
Details were not available, but the Washington State Patrol said the deceased man’s car collided with a cement mixer about 5:15 p.m. No one else was injured.