» State revokes Currie's license

By Amy Moss Strong
Editor
Monday, February 01, 2010 | No comments posted. A Bandon chiropractor whose license was revoked Thursday by the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners is being held in the Coos County jail on burglary, sex abuse and other charges.

On Jan 20, the state arraigned Michael B. Currie on charges of first-degree sex abuse and harassment, according to Coos County Deputy District Attorney Oubonh White.

Those charges followed an indictment on two counts of first-degree burglary and one count each of private indecency and unlawful use of a weapon, as well as a misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol.

Currie also has three additional criminal matters pending, but White said she would not disclose details in any of the cases.

Currie is being held on $300,000 bail.

The chiropractors board issued an emergency suspension of Currie’s license in early December, while it investigated concerns about his ability to practice chiropractry. Currie operated Bandon Chiropractic at 55416 Melton Road, just off state Highway 42S, about a mile east of town. Currie is prohibited from examining or treating patients according to Tom Rozinski, a chiropractic board investigator. He has until Feb. 21 to request a hearing. If he is still in jail, his license revocation goes into action. Currie would be able to request a hearing once he is released, Rozinski said.

The chiropractic board’s allegations include unprofessional conduct toward and inappropriate sexual contact with patients and/or acting in a way that could reasonably be interpreted as sexual toward a patient, habitual use of alcohol and controlled substances, causing incapacitation from performance of professional duties, as well as causing injury to a patient during treatment. If proven, the allegations would be violations of Oregon Revised Statutes and Oregon Administrative Rules.

Emergency suspensions of chiropractic licenses are rare, Rozinski said.

The suspension report details allegations, including that Currie is facing criminal charges in Josephine County. Since the emergency suspension, Rozinski said Currie also was charged with one count each of driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, interfering with a police officer and resisting arrest in Lane County and is facing arraignment on those charges.

In the Josephine County case, officers cited and released Currie on Nov. 9 on two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the Grants Pass Police Department. He missed a court date and was arrested and released, with a second court date set for Jan. 14.

The Coos County Sheriff’s Office notified the board that it was investigating an allegation Currie sexually assaulted a female patient and was reported to have been drinking wine during the appointment. On Nov. 26, the Bandon Police Department arrested Currie, charging him with driving under the influence of intoxicants. The state board also received information that law enforcement officials are investigating two other complaints.

Currie has been a licensed chiropractor in Oregon since 1986.