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Alex Matthew Woolner, 37, a former Kaiser Permanente nurse, pleaded not guilty in Washington County Circuit Court Wednesday to charges of sexually abusing patients.
(rebecca Woolington/Staff )
A former Kaiser Permanente nurse accused of sexually abusing patients while working at a Beaverton clinic pleaded not guilty to a 10-count indictment in Washington County Circuit Court Wednesday.
Alex Matthew Woolner, 37, is charged with four counts of third-degree sexual abuse, three counts of invasion of personal privacy, two counts of computer crime and one count of criminal mistreatment. Woolner, who is not in custody, appeared before Judge Suzanne Upton during a brief arraignment inside the jail courtroom.
Alex Matthew Woolner
Woolner is accused of sexually abusing two women by touching one on her pelvic bone and another on her breasts, according to the indictment. He allegedly twice abused one of the women on separate occasions, the indictment says. He is also accused of invading the personal privacy of a third woman.
The computer crime charges against Woolner related to one alleged victim, according to the indictment. Police said the charges stemmed from Woolner accessing patient phone numbers through medical records.
One patient, police said, also made an appointment at the clinic to see a doctor, but Woolner saw her instead, leading to the accusation of criminal mistreatment.
Beaverton Police have said they are continuing their investigation.
Through his attorney, Woolner has denied the allegations and said he eventually will be cleared of all wrongdoing. He resigned from Kaiser while under investigation. Woolner also voluntarily agreed to stop working as a nurse pending further action by the state Board of Nursing.
Following the initial allegations against Woolner, he was allowed to return to work after the company completed an internal investigation but while he was still the subject of a criminal inquiry, according to both police and Kaiser officials. Woolner allegedly abused another patient while he was back on the job, police said.
Two women have since filed suit against Kaiser Permanente, alleging negligence by the medical company and sexual abuse and exploitation by Woolner.
-- Rebecca Woolington
503-294-4049; @rwoolington