Medical Licensing Board suspends Dr. Howell's license

By ERIC BERNSEE

Editor

INDIANAPOLIS -- The medical license of Roachdale physician Dr. Ray D. Howell was suspended indefinitely Thursday.

The Indiana Medical Licensing Board ordered Howell -- who has been accused of recklessly dispensing narcotics and providing pain pill prescriptions in exchange for sex -- to stop practicing medicine.

Acting upon a petition from the Indiana Attorney General's Office, the state licensing board suspended the medical license of Dr. Howell, 57. The action was taken during a morning session at the Indiana Government Center Building in Indianapolis.

"Dr. Howell is indefinitely summarily suspended until the outcome of the criminal proceedings or the board's final order -- whichever comes first," Erin Reece, public information officer for the Indiana Attorney General's Office, told the Banner Graphic.

The Roachdale physician had previously announced that he has retired from private practice, but that did not stop the Indiana Attorney General's Office from taking action against him.

Earlier this week, Indiana Attorney General Gregory F. Zoeller sought to have Dr. Howell's Indiana medical license suspended for 90 days. His office filed a petition to that effect with the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana. It requested that the board set a hearing on the petition for summary suspension and suspend Dr. Howell's license "for a period of 90 days and for all other proper relief."

Howell, who has operated Tri-County Family Medical Clinic in Roachdale for more than 20 years, was arrested Oct. 18 at his Heritage Lake home on 15 felony counts. A dozen of those involved the alleged unlawful or reckless dispensing of controlled substances.

Dr. Howell has posted $2,000 cash bond and will appear in Putnam County Court at 10 a.m. Dec. 8 for a pretrial conference.