Physician’s medical license suspended, assault charge filed
The Arkansas Medical Board has suspended the medical license of Fulton County physician Jeff Summerhill. With the board’s suspension, Fulton County Hospital CEO Curren Everett confirmed Summerhill is no longer employed at the hospital in Salem. Everett says Summerhill had served as an emergency room physician at the hospital since 2008.
The action by the state medical board was taken Oct. 12th. The medical board’s attorney, Kevin O’Dwyer, tells KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot news the suspension followed an incident reported in Alaska leading to Dr. Summerhill being charged with a misdemeanor count of assault and an order of protection being filed against him in Fulton County Circuit Court a week later.
The suspension of Dr. Summerhill’s license followed the physician’s arrest in early September. O’Dwyer says the state trooper’s report cited alcohol as a factor in an incident and indicates the physician exhibited dangerous and aggressive behavior toward his female companion.
According to the order of protection, Summerhill and a female companion were in a remote area in Talkeetna, Alaska hunting for bear. The female companion alleges Summerhill struck her in the face, knocking her out and giving her a black eye. She said she is not sure on which day the incident occurred, because she did not have a way to check.
She said Summerhill prevented her from leaving the mountain for three to four days, telling their pilot not to come to get her for at least three days. She said during this time, she asked him repeatedly on a daily basis to let her go.
After their pilot picked them up and dropped them off, the woman said Summerhill instructed her to get into a vehicle with him, and she declined. She said the physician allegedly then threw a duffel bag at her and took out a pocket knife, leading her to call 911.
A state trooper responded, interviewed the woman and took Summerhill into custody.
In the order of protection, the woman said Summerhill has allegedly put his hands on her multiple times, but this was the first occasion she had contacted law enforcement. She said the most recent incident prior to the arrest occurred in May when the physician allegedly shoved her through the window of their garage.
Summerhill’s bio on the hospital website indicates he is a board certified family practice physician. He attended the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey. After graduation, he completed his internship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
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Mental evaluation follows MH woman’s threatening actions
A Mountain Home woman, apparently under the delusion a group of 17-year-old students at the ASUMH Technical Center were members of a drug cartel and it was her duty to “take them out,” was ordered to undergo a seven-day mental evaluation at a hospital in Springdale. The woman is accused by police of making threats to various people and taking other hostile actions.
The petition to commit 55-year-old Ellen Marie Griesi to the Northwest Arkansas hospital was approved by Judge Gordon Webb at the conclusion of a hearing held Tuesday in Baxter County Circuit Court.
According to court records, Griesi attempted at one point to obtain a gun in order to carry out her plans to “take care” of the supposed drug cartel. She was also alleged to have put a sympathy card on a car belonging to one of the students saying it was “tough to lose a child,” and, late last month, investigators say Griesi left threatening voice mails on the phone of a mother and son.
Griesi was employed at one time as an instructor at ASU-Mountain Home, but was let go by the school, according to the petition filed seeking the mental evaluation. Griesi claimed at one point unnamed people had thrown paint thinner on her and tried to set her on fire.
Both Griesi and her husband, Joseph, took the stand during Tuesday’s hearing and basically denied each and every charge made against her. Joseph Griesi said the couple had been married for 18 years, and he was certain his wife would not be capable of the crimes for which she is charged. Fourteenth Judicial District Deputy Prosecutor Kerry Chism asked Joseph Griesi if he had read the affidavits filed against his wife. He said he was so certain she would not commit the acts for which she was charged that he had no interest in reading the information which he said was fabricated.
Tammy Burke, a psychologist with Ozark Guidance Center in Mountain Home, said she had met and interviewed Ellen Griesi on Nov. 7th and 13th. She said Griesi did not take responsibility for the various acts for which she is charged. Burke said the Mountain Home woman had “zero insight” into the seriousness of her alleged actions.
Burke testified Griesi was more of a threat to other people than to herself. The psychologist told the court she recommended the woman be transported to the facility to undergo her evaluation as soon as possible. She said during both of her interviews with Griesi, the woman could not provide details of the incident in which she is alleged to have been involved and did not appear to even know exactly why she was jailed.
Mountain Home lawyer John Crain, who represented Griesi, told the court the main reason his client had not been responsive stemmed from his advise to her not to provide information unless he was present in order to protect her rights.
During her testimony, Ellen Griesi told the court paying for her mental evaluation “is a total waste of the state’s tax dollars.”
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Woman’s kidnapping, torture brings 33-year prison sentence for Lakeview man
A Lakeview man, 56-year-old David Gengler, has been sentenced to 33 years in prison after entering a no contest plea to charges he bound a woman with whom he lived with duct tape, then beat, raped, and tortured her in May 2016.
The change of plea came during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday. Gengler will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The victim was in the courtroom as Gengler was sentenced, with a court bailiff standing, blocking the Lakeview man’s view of the seated woman.
Gengler was initially charged with kidnapping and five counts of first-degree battery. Later in the same month, the more serious charges of rape and aggravated robbery were filed. The latter charges were based on information developed during the investigation the victim had suffered what was described as severe sexual trauma while being held against her will. It was also determined money was missing from several locations in the residence. Gengler was reported to have had a large sum of money in his wallet when he was initially booked into the county jail.
Gengler’s problems with the law began when Baxter County Deputies responded to a residence along Greenwood Avenue in Lakeview May 24th, 2016 and found a badly beaten female victim. Gengler and the then 57-year-old woman shared the residence according to investigative records.
The victim was lying on the floor by the front door of the residence.
Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery said at the time the victim had marks on her wrists and appeared to have been bound for days. She also had numerous other injuries including what were thought to be cigarette burns.
Investigators reported finding blood splattered on the walls of the residence and a large amount of duct tape with hair stuck to it on the bathroom floor. A knife and bloody cigarette butt were also found and taken into evidence.
The victim was able to make a 911 call requesting assistance. According to the sheriff’s office’s incident report, the victim asked for an ambulance but was initially hesitant to say why one was needed. She eventually told the 911 dispatcher, “he will kill me.” Gengler, who was at the residence, told investigators the victim was bipolar and “falls all the time.”. He initially denied inflicting the injuries, holding the woman against her will or having forced sexual relations with her.
Deputies had been to the home in response to an earlier domestic disturbance call on May 19th of 2016. The victim told deputies on that occasion she and Gengler had been in a heated argument over his “drinking habits.” She said Gengler had shoved her during the argument. Gengler said the disagreement had arisen over the victim’s gambling, and he denied having any physical contact with her during the confrontation.
During an interview with the victim at a Springfield hospital following the second and more serious incident, she told investigators she had been bound for two-or-three days. She said Gengler taped her in an upright position and punched, beat and kicked her. The victim said Gengler also choked her and burned her with cigarettes. According to the victim, her relationship with Gengler began when he moved into her residence in October 2015 to work as a handyman.
Gengler underwent psychological examinations and was found fit to proceed in his cases.
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Fire results in total loss of moblie home, 2 transported to BRMC
A mobile home was a total loss, and two occupants were transported to Baxter Regional Medical Center following an early morning structure fire. According to the Mountain Home Fire Department, the fire occurred Friday at 1128 Old Arkana Road.
Firefighters were called to the fire just after 2:00 and encountered a fully-involved mobile home upon arrival. All occupants of the home were out of the residence, and two unidentified occupants were attended to by BRMC Ambulance personnel.
Firefighters were on the scene for 3 1/2 hours with an engine, two tankers, a brush truck and two support vehicles. Mountain Home also received mutual aid with an engine and two tankers from the Buford Fire Department.
The cause of the fire has not been determined and is under investigation.
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Mountain View man says he might have ‘accidentally’ committed rape
A Stone County man accused of rape reportedly claims he may have accidentally forced himself on the victim. According to Jonesboro television station KAIT, 72-year-old Carl Rogers of Mountain View is in the Stone County Detention Center on one count of rape with an object. His bond is set at $75,000.
The victim alleges the assault occurred nearly two weeks ago at Rogers’ residence. She says he starting touching her after she finished showering, and at one point, Rogers reportedly instructed her to remove her pants. The victim, described as having “mental deficiencies,” says she complied because she was scared of Rogers. The unidentified female says Rogers forced himself on her despite her rejections and requests to stop. She claims he was later walking around nude for several minutes.
The victim reported the incident to authorities later that day and was transported to a local medical facility for a sexual assault examination. Investigators met with Rogers at the Mountain View Police Department for questioning, and he reportedly denied the allegations claiming he was unable to have sex.
Police Chief Bobby Day told Rogers the victim had undergone an examination, and evidence had been collected. Rogers gave consent for a sample of his DNA to be collected claiming it would not show up on the tests.
After the sample was collected, Chief Day left the interview room for a few minutes. He later returned and asked Rogers about his DNA being found inside the victim. Rogers reportedly claimed he had rubbed up against the victim and might have accidentally forced himself on her. He also said he kissed the victim on her body.
A judge reviewed the affidavit and found probable cause to arrest Rogers last Tuesday.
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