Inset: Kelly Buck (Grayson County Sheriff's Office). Background: A medical strip mall where Buck allegedly worked as a temp in Sherman, Tex. (Google Maps).
A Texas dentist was recently arrested after treating a patient while she was intoxicated, police in the Lone Star State say.
Kelly Buck, 36, stands accused of one count of performing surgery while intoxicated, according to the Sherman Police Department.
The underlying incident occurred on Monday at a pediatric dentistry office on North Loy Lake Road in Sherman, a medium-sized city located roughly 65 miles due north of Dallas.
Officers were called to the business around noon on the day in question after receiving reports of an intoxicated dentist, police said.
"The caller alleged that there was a dentist practicing and showing signs of intoxication," Sherman Police Lt. Sam Boyle said in comments to Sherman-based CBS, MyNetworkTV and Fox affiliate KXII.
After authorities arrived at Pediatric Dentistry of Sherman, Buck was located and found to be exhibiting signs of intoxication, police said. Law enforcement did not single out the intoxicating substance.
That information, however, could be imminent.
"The Criminal Investigations Division obtained a search warrant for a specimen of Buck's blood as part of the investigation," the police department said in an initial press release about the arrest.
Field sobriety tests were performed at the scene and the defendant was subsequently arrested, according to the police department.
As it turned out, Buck had treated one patient "prior to police arrival," police said in an updated press release. Law enforcement initially said Buck had treated multiple patients "throughout the morning." Any specific procedure performed, however, was not mentioned.
"It's definitely a very unusual case," Boyle said.
The spokesperson went on to say that Sherman has never before had a case in which someone practiced dentistry under the influence.
During the investigation, police learned Buck has been a licensed dentist since 2016 and has never had disciplinary action taken against her. The defendant was not a formal employee of the dentist's office where the incident occurred and was only working there in a temporary capacity through a staffing agency, police added.
Buck hails from Plano, a large suburb located some 20 miles north of Dallas.
The police department stressed the severity of the allegations against the defendant — noting the felony offense for which she is charged is a state jail felony under the Texas Occupations Code.
"Very serious, especially if you were the patient or the victim in this case and for the whole practice as well," Boyle told the TV station. "So we're thankful that we were notified and we're able to prevent a dangerous situation from continuing."
Under Texas law, a state jail felony carries a maximum sentence of two years behind bars.
The defendant was arrested and detained in the Grayson County jail. She was released Tuesday after posting $10,000 bond.
Buck's case is not on the public docket for the Grayson County court system as of this writing.
Police say the investigation is ongoing.
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