Doctor charged with DWI
By John Joyce
Published in News on January 9, 2013 1:46 PM
A Goldsboro Pediatrics physician was charged by Goldsboro police Sunday with driving while impaired, hit and run driving and assault.
The incident occurred Sunday night near Wayne Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Michael Shane Hoover, 37, of 703 Beech St., was on call at the time and was summoned by the hospital for an emergency involving a child.
While en route, his vehicle struck another at the intersection of Wayne Memorial Drive and Lockhaven Drive. He did not stop, but proceeded on to the hospital, police said.
While in his vehicle immediately after the crash, Dr. Hoover called 911 to report the accident and to tell dispatchers that he was a physician responding to an emergency call.
Police Maj. Mike West said the call did not dismiss the fact that Dr. Hoover left the scene of the accident. According to the law, he was required to stop and offer his information, even if he then had to proceed to respond to the emergency call.
According to police reports, while at the hospital, Dr. Hoover was accused of assault on a nurse in the labor and delivery department.
When officers arrived at the hospital, they were informed of the nurse's accusation and the doctor's condition. They were initially delayed from speaking with him while he was, according to the report, "performing patient care as a medical doctor."
He was then taken by family members to the magistrate's office, where his blood alcohol content was registered at 0.15.
The nurse later filed the assault charge at the magistrate's office.
Georgia Dees, a spokesman for the hospital, said the hospital has protocol in place for dealing with any staff member who reports for duty under the influence of alcohol, but said that at the time of the incident it was unclear whether Hoover was intoxicated.
Ms. Dees said that the matter is under internal investigation and that every staff member present at the time of the incident would be asked to provide a statement and that all of the available surveillance video would be reviewed.
Dr. Hoover has not been officially suspended by Wayne Memorial Hospital, Ms. Dees said, but other physicians will be taking over his duties pending the resolution of the case.
Dr. Hoover has retained counsel, who, when asked for comment on the case, refused to discuss any of the circumstances surrounding the charges.