An 18-year-old former employee of Dr. Steven Pack has accused the doctor of fondling her under the guise of testing medical procedures.
In a lawsuit filed Friday in 4th District Court, the woman states she was interviewed and hired by Pack, 50, for a position at Mountain Medical Urgent Care in Lehi in March of 2009. She worked there until the end of July, when according to her Pack assaulted her while teaching her to "look for and diagnose heart murmurs," which the lawsuit says was not part of her job responsibilities.
He also attempted to demonstrate two other procedures on the woman, allegedly touching her inappropriately the entire time, the civil complaint states. The woman was so "physically upset and emotionally distraught" after these encounters that she found it difficult to return to work while Pack was on duty, leading the woman to eventually stop reporting to work altogether, according to the lawsuit.
The woman is suing Pack, of Alpine, charging sexual battery, sexual assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress. She is suing Mountain Medical Urgent Care, contending there was negligent hiring and retention and Pack and Mountain Medical Urgent Care, charging wrongful termination.
The woman's attorney, Douglas Thayer, said the complaints against Mountain Medical Urgent Care stem from the belief that the company should have been more careful in its hiring processes.
"He works for them, in fact, I think it's his company," Thayer said. "The point is, they're the employer and they have a duty to protect their employees."
Pack was arrested Thursday by Lehi police for investigation of voyeurism and evidence tampering in an unrelated investigation. Police say Pack had been videotaping two of his co-workers in exam rooms while they were changing clothes. Thayer said he was not aware of the voyeurism and evidence tampering investigation and said that is separate from his client's case.
Thayer said they believe there are other victims and that his office has already been contacted by another former employee who said she had been assaulted.
Attempts to reach Pack Friday for comment were unsuccessful.
e-mail: emorgan@desnews.com