Dallas doctor called a 'medical terrorist' by prosecutors indicted on multiple charges
Family members of victim 'outraged' now-arrested Dallas doctor was allowed to practice
Dr. Daniel Wohlgelernter tells FOX 4 when he found out his 18-year-old grandson, Jack, had complications from routine surgery and ended up on life support, he immediately knew a medication of some kind had to be to blame.
DALLAS - Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz, a Dallas anesthesiologist accused of adding dangerous drugs to patients' IV bags, was indicted on five counts of tampering with consumer products and five counts of adulteration of drugs by a Dallas County grand jury.
The indictment from Oct. 5 focuses on five separate incidents on Aug. 4, 9, 16, 19 and 23. Four of the five incidents led to serious bodily injury to patients, according to the indictment.
Ortiz is accused of swapping tampered IV bags over and over, sending 11 patients from the Baylor Scott and White's Surgicare North Dallas facility to hospital emergency rooms between May and August, and killing 55-year-old Dr. Melanie Kaspar.
Video released from the facility shows Ortiz placing a hidden IV bag into a warmer prior to one of the incidents.
According to the criminal complaint, the incidents began after Dr. Ortiz, who had a history of disciplinary actions against him, told other physicians that the center was trying to "crucify" him after he was informed he could face potential discipline for which he allegedly "deviated from the standard of care" during a procedure in which a patient required CPR.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Police arrest North Texas doctor at center of IV bag tampering investigation
- Dallas doctor seen on video swapping IV bags prior to patients suffering heart attacks, complaint says
- Dallas doctor called 'medical terrorist' by prosecutors ordered to remain in custody
- North Texas doctor deemed 'threat to public' has license suspended after patient's death
- Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz, doctor deemed 'threat to public' by Texas Medical Board, had previously been disciplined
- Family members of victim 'outraged' now-arrested Dallas doctor was allowed to practice
The Baylor Scott and White facility closed on August 24 after the hospital told law enforcement that it found its IV bags had been compromised.
Dr. Ortiz was arrested on Sept. 14.
The Texas Medical Board has indefinitely suspected the anesthesiologist from practicing.
He was ordered to remain in jail until his trial.
Dr. Ortiz's next court hearing is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 14.
He could face life in prison if convicted.