Pending charges prompt doc suspension

ELWOOD, Ind. (WISH) - A Madison County doctor has been suspended from his practice, but the reason why is not yet known.

Last week some of Dr. Gregory Spangler’s patients stared noticing he wasn’t showing up for work at Elwood Family Practice.

Rumors swirled around town about a police investigation.

But neither local, county nor state police are saying anything about it.

And no one's talking at the doctor's office, either. But 24-Hour News 8 did try and give them a call.

Instead of returning the call, they directed 24-Hour News 8 to a statement put out by Community Hospitals, which oversees the physicians at Elwood Family Practice.

Because of what the hospital called pending charges, the doctor was immediately suspended, and lost his hospital privileges for allegations deemed serious.

The State's Medical Licensing Agency says Dr. Spangler has a clean record.

24-Hour News 8 asked one of Dr. Spangler's patients about him.

"He's a nice doctor, good doctor, I've known him for 16 years," assured Tom Davis of Elwood.

But Davis has no idea about the investigation.

In past cases involving doctors, prescription writing habits are often scrutinized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

A DEA spokesman would neither confirm nor deny a federal investigation, but did say that Dr. Spangler was not in federal custody.