Jul 20, 2006 12:32 am US/Pacific
Warrant Issued For Man Accused Of Abusing Patients
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
A bench warrant was issued for a nurse's assistant who failed to show up for a court hearing on charges of molesting a half-dozen recovering surgery patients at a San Fernando Valley hospital.
Ramon Eduardo Rodas Gaspar, who worked at Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, was supposed to appear Tuesday in Van Nuys Superior Court to be arraigned on an amended complaint adding more alleged victims.
Gaspar's attorney, Karen Goldstein, did not return a phone call seeking comment. But the prosecutor on the case said Goldstein appeared surprised when her client did not show up in court.
The amended complaint filed Tuesday by Deputy District Attorney William Penzin charges Gaspar with 11 counts of sexual battery and penetration by a foreign object for allegedly assaulting six victims in their hospital rooms. He was initially charged with three counts involving two alleged victims, but more came forward when police sought public help in the case.
Gaspar worked at the hospital for about two years, and police suspected there could be more alleged victims.
The investigation began when a 29-year-old woman told police she had been sexually assaulted on April 7.
Faced with a warrant for his arrest, Gaspar surrendered in June, police said.
He pleaded not guilty to the original charges on June 7 and was released on $150,000 bail.
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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