Saturday, September 27, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Prominent ophthalmologist arrested on drug charges

Dr. Kurt Buzard Police found more than 2 grams of cocaine in a candy tin inside his Mercedes

A prominent ophthalmologist who has performed hundreds of LASIK eye surgeries on Las Vegans has been charged with felony cocaine possession.

Dr. Kurt Buzard, owner of the 30,000-square-foot Buzard Eye Institute on West Sahara Avenue, was arrested last week and released from jail on his own recognizance.

His arrest came about three weeks after police pulled over Buzard's Mercedes convertible and found more than 2 grams of cocaine in a candy tin inside, according to court records.

It wasn't immediately known what potential professional penalties Buzard faces, because repeated phone calls made to the Nevada Board of Medical Examiners, the board that regulates physicians, were not returned.

Officer Brian Hartman wrote in a police report that Buzard appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and suffering a medical crisis while talking to police during the Aug. 24 stop.

"He was sweating profusely, speaking incoherently, unable to maintain a gaze, and slipping in and out of consciousness," Hartman wrote in his report.

Paramedics transported Buzard to a local hospital for evaluation after the 50-year-old doctor experienced extremely low blood pressure and began "making suicidal threats," the report states.

At the hospital, Buzard asked police what he was being charged with, and Hartman told him he faced charges of possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Police found two rolled-up dollar bills and a straw with cocaine residue inside the candy tin, the report states.

Buzard then told police, "I had that cocaine in my office, and I knew I should have thrown it away," according to the report.

Police did not arrest Buzard that night, but instead sought a warrant for his arrest through the district attorney's office.

The warrant was issued, and Buzard's attorney, Rick Wright, arranged a "walk-through" booking for his client on Sept. 18, meaning Buzard would surrender at the county jail to be photographed, fingerprinted and then released on his own recognizance on that date.

Such an arrangement is routine in drug possession cases, Police Department spokesman Jose Montoya said, especially when a suspect is hospitalized.

But when Buzard showed up at Metropolitan Police Department headquarters Sept. 15 to request a copy of a report, an officer there ran a check on his name and determined Buzard had an outstanding warrant for his arrest on the cocaine charge.

Buzard was arrested, booked into the jail and released on his own recognizance later that day.

Buzard is noted locally as one of the first doctors to perform LASIK eye surgeries, in which a laser is used to change the shape of the cornea and reduce a person's dependency on glasses or contact lenses.

He is believed to have the largest practice in Nevada specializing in LASIK procedures.

It remains unclear whether his arrest on drug charges could jeopardize his medical license.

Larry Lessly, executive director of the Nevada Board of Medical Examiners, refused to take any phone calls from the Review-Journal to discuss the issue Friday afternoon.

Buzard also is licensed to practice in Arizona.

Lisa McGrane, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Medical Board, said Buzard is under investigation by the board.

"He has an active license, and we do have an open investigation," McGrane said, adding that state law prevented her from elaborating.

Wright confirmed that the Nevada state Board of Medical Examiners has contacted Buzard about the case.

When asked if the board was investigating the allegations, Wright said, "I'm not sure investigation is the right word. They are in communication with the doctor. They are monitoring the procedure."

When asked if Buzard would be working while criminal proceedings were pending, Wright would only say, "He is on vacation."

Although the police report states that Buzard's vehicle was stopped because it was traveling "at an abnormally high rate of speed," it does not identify who was driving.

Buzard is listed as a passenger in the convertible.

"We are unsure why the officer did not identify the driver," said Montoya, the police spokesman. "We're investigating."