Pain doctor arrested on Delaware County charges

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - A Fort Wayne doctor whose medical license was suspended by a state panel amid allegations of over-prescribed pain medications is facing felony charges.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reports (http://ow.ly/GTXuu ) William Hedrick was arrested Tuesday by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and taken to Delaware County. Prosecutors have charged Hedrick with Medicaid fraud, reckless prescribing, forgery and three counts of registration offense.

Court records show Hedrick's former assistant, Gay Gundersen-Watson, was also arrested on forgery and registration offenses.

Hedrick was forced to close a dozen Indiana Pain Center locations after the Medical Licensing Board in October suspended his medical license for allegedly over-prescribing pain medications.

During the hearing, evidence showed that local, state and federal authorities were investigating Hedrick for numerous alleged violations.

There has been no comment from Hedrick on Tuesday's charges.