CAUSE OF DEATH - MATTHEW PAUL HUNT
Matthew’s death was not a suicide. Officially, the State of Connecticut Medical Examiner team found and termed Matthew’s death as an “Accidental Death”. The State Medical Examiner team avowed the cause of the “Accidental Death” of Matthew Hunt, as “Propoxyphene Toxicity”.
Propoxyphene is the generic and chemical name for the trade name drug Darvon. Propoxyphene is a synthetic narcotic drug, an addictive drug, and chemically similar to the drug Methadone. Propoxyphene is an especially dangerous drug, due to the narrow range between a therapeutic dose and a toxic dose of propoxyphene.
One Newtown physician solely and abundantly prescribed the Propoxyphene that ended the life of Matthew Hunt. The physician’s name is Donald T. Evans. In early 2007, Dr. Donald T. Evans retired amid allegations that he prescribed narcotics without following proper medical protocol. A civil lawsuit filed by the United States government is calling for the forfeiture of the property owned by Dr. Donald T. Evans, on Mount Pleasant Road, where Dr. Evans ran his practice.
The 16-page complaint filed March 9, 2007 in U.S. District Court says the allegations are based on complaints from patients and pharmacists that were investigated by informants and undercover law enforcement officers posing as patients. The lawsuit further alleges that Dr. Evans has been the "focus of complaints" to the drug control division of the state Department of Consumer Protection. Those complaining were a Newtown area physician, local pharmacists, patients, families of patients, and local law enforcement officials.
In the Summer of 2005, Law Enforcement began investigating allegations that Dr. Donald T. Evans, who is licensed by the State of Connecticut Department of Health to practice medicine, and is further licensed to prescribe controlled and/or narcotic substances to his patients, was engaged through his medical practice located at 115 Mt Pleasant Road, Route 6, Newtown, CT, in numerous acts of illegally prescribing controlled and/or narcotic substances during the course of his practice.
Beginning in September of 2005, after being equipped with transmitters that allowed conversations to be monitored and recorded, reliable and confidential informants visited Dr. Evans posing as patients, at his property on Mount Pleasant Road in Newtown, where Dr. Evans ran his practice. In many cases, Dr. Evans provided additional narcotic prescriptions to the informants, before prior prescriptions were depleted. Such was the regular and constant modus operandi of Dr. Evans, in his prescribing of the addictive narcotic drug propoxyphene, to Matthew Hunt. Dr. Evans issued propoxyphene prescriptions to Matthew Hunt, not just days early, but months before ealier propoxyphene prescriptions were to be depleted. Dr. Evans began this practice when Matthew was 17 years of age, and Matthew died of propoxyphene toxcity within a year.
The lawsuit alleges in each case that Dr. Evans issued prescriptions without either personally examining the patients or discussing treatment alternatives. Between September 2005 and March 2006, Dr. Evans allegedly gave prescriptions to undercover officers under similar circumstances. According to the lawsuit, Dr. Evans did not personally examine the officer, did not inquire about possible allergies or medical conditions that could be affected by the medication, and did not discuss alternative medication or treatments.
In one case, where the informant told Dr. Evans that he/she had taken some extra pills from the last prescription, the informant was advised by Dr. Evans, to not bring the newly issued prescription for oxycodone, to the same pharmacy as an earlier issued oxycodone script, as it was early, and the pharmacist might not fill it.
Newtown’s local newspaper “The Newtown Bee” published two news reports of the federal lawsuit filed against Dr. Evans. The first report was published March 22, 2007 and is entitled Federal Lawsuit Seeks Forfeiture Of Doctor's Property. The second report entitled Doctor Surrenders Controlled Substances Prescription License was reported March 29, 2007. Both articles are by Andrew Gorosko of The Newtown Bee. Click on the above entitled links to view these articles.
Anyone who has been injured, or who has knowledge of an injury or death, related to the practices of Dr. Donald T. Evans, is here encouraged to provide that information to the following United States Attorney who is handling the Evans lawsuit, and to the Drug Control Division of the State of Connecticut, Department of Consumer Protection. Although in the context of the financial gains for harms perpetrated, the forfeiture case amounts to a mere slap on the wrist, but anyway it is not too late to assist in the strengthening and assurance of the prosecution, of the Complaint for Forfeiture.
John Gadea, Division Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David X. Sullivan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Drug Control Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Asst. U.S. Attys., Civil Div., New Haven Department of Consumer Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Church St., 23rd Flr 165 Capitol Avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .New Haven, CT 06510-2112 Hartford CT 06106 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tel: (203) 821-3700 Tel: (860) 713-6065 Fax: (860) 713-7242
Dr. Evans license surrender is recorded here: Department of Consumer Protection Pharmacy Referrals and Resolutions.
Detailed contact information can be found here: Contact the Drug Control Division.
The mission of the Drug Control Division, of the Department of Consumer Protection, is to protect the health and safety of Connecticut citizens by regulating all persons and firms involved in the distribution of all legal drugs, medical devices and cosmetics in Connecticut. The laws enforced by the Division include the Pharmacy Practice Act, the State Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and the State Controlled Substances Act.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CASE NO.: 3:07-cv-00374-SRU
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plaintiff, . . . . . . . . . Vs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FILE DATE: MARCH 9, 2007
ONE PARCEL OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 115 MT PLEASANT ROAD, ROUTE 6, NEWTOWN CONNECTICUT WITH ALL APPURTENANCES AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defendant,
[CLAIMANTS: DONALD T. EVANS; PANACEA PROPERTIES, LLC; LYNDON THOMAS AS EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF EVELYNE M. THOMAS; AND JP MORGAN CHASE BANK]
NOTICE OF FORFEITURE ACTION - USA
SERVICE OF COMPLAINT - USA
VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR FORFEITURE - USA
CLAIM OF INTEREST - Donald T. Evans
MOTION FOR WRIT OF ENTRY - USA
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR WRIT OF ENTRY - USA
ANSWER AND JURY DEMAND - Donald T. Evans
MOTION TO AMEND VERIFIED COMPLAINT OF FORFEITURE - USA
AMENDED VERIFIED COMPLAINT OF FORFEITURE - USA
SERVICE ON PANACEA & JP MORGAN CHASE BANK - USA
MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE SCHEDULE A ATTACHMENT- USA
ANSWER TO AMENDED COMPLAINT FOR FORFEITURE - Panacea & Lyndon Thomas
ALAN UNGER,
. . . . . . . . . . . Plaintiff, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CASE NO: FST-CV-06-5001244-S
. . . . . . Vs.
DONALD EVANS, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FILE DATE: APRIL 28, 2006
. . . . . . . . . . . Defendant.
FRANK A. DELUCA, Administrator, Estate of LAURIE ANN BURLINSON,
PATRICIA THOMPSON, Administrator, Estate of LAURIE ANN BURLINSON, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CASE NO: DBD-CV-07-5001887-S
. . . . . . . . . . . Plaintiffs,
DONALD T. EVANS MD, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FILE DATE: DECEMBER 18, 2006
DENNIS ROWELL, ADMINISTRATOR, ESTATE OF ROSE ROWELL,
DENNIS ROWELL, INDIVIDUALLY, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CASE NO: DBD-CV-07-5002355-S
DONALD EVANS MD, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FILE DATE: MARCH 28, 2007
LIMIT APP / DANBURY HOSPITAL
MORE COURT DOCUMENTS COMING SOON!
PAGE LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2007