By Ellen Thompson/Havre Daily News/ethompson@havredailynews.com
A Havre surgeon was issued a summons Thursday on a charge of misdemeanor assault. Havre police said he punched another surgeon in a dispute over scheduling.
Havre police officers responded to a call from Northern Montana Hospital at 10:26 a.m. Thursday and issued a summons to Dr. Michael Flannery, 57, of Havre, a police report said. Flannery is accused of assaulting Dr. James Rogers, the report said.
The incident took place in the surgical day care area, police said.
The area houses patients as they prepare for or recover from out-patient surgery, hospital spokeswoman Kathie Newell said.
In a statement to police, Rogers said he was thrown down and punched, police said.
The two had an argument over changing a surgical schedule, Assistant Police Chief George Tate said today.
When officers responded, they found Rogers sitting in an office and Flannery sitting on a lounge chair in a different room, Tate said. Officers took statements from both men and one witness before issuing a summons to Flannery, Tate said.
Flannery could not be reached for comment today.
After the incident, attorney Dan Boucher said Rogers contacted him and authorized him to give a brief statement.
"He feels that he has made his report," Boucher said. He said Rogers has nothing to say about the incident at this time. "The case is under investigation and they don't want to do anything to jeopardize that," Boucher added.
The hospital has no comment about the incident, Newell said.
