At least 15 more women accuse Bremerton doctor of improper sexual contact

Police say at least 15 more women have alleged they were sexually assaulted by a Bremerton doctor after he was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of rape.

A judge ordered Dr. Darren Chotiner, 46, held on $250,000 bail after he was charged Tuesday with two counts of second degree rape.

Police arrested him a Bremerton clinic Tuesday. He’s accused of sexually violating two different women during examinations when they sought help for back pain.

Chotiner, a doctor with Peninsula Community Health Services, allegedly forced himself on the two women on two different occasions.

One of the women said the sexual contacts happened in May or June, and then again in September. The other one alleged she was assaulted in October and again in November.

Chotiner has been licensed to practice in Washington since 2007, according to police. The Washington Board of Health suspended his license Wednesday.

Chotiner had been previously restricted from seeing female patients after he was accused of kissing a female patient in October 2011, according to the state Department of Health.

Peninsula Community Health Services CEO Barbara Malich tells the Kitsap Sun Chotiner agreed to training and a restriction that he have an assistant present for any evaluations with women, and the clinic kept the restriction in place even after it was lifted by the state in December 2012.

Sgt. Kevin Crane says the investigation is ongoing and more potential victims continue to come forward.

“We continue to be contacted by several additional women today. The phone calls continue to come in. Some heard it on media, others from friends or family.”

Anyone with information about the doctor is asked to call Bremerton Police Detective Crystal Gray at 360-473-5485.