Lee County woman involved in fatal crash arrested in multi-county doctor shopping case
FORT MYERS, Fla.---The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office announce the arrest of 48 year old Theresa Shirley of Lee County. Shirley is charged with 12 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, withholding information from a practitioner, a third-degree felony. Shirley is accused of obtaining more than 10,000 oxycodone tablets illegally from medical facilities in Lee County and Broward County over a 17-month period.
The case began in March of this year when agents were contacted by FHP requesting assistance in the investigation of a fatal car crash involving Shirley. The crash occurred on May 7, 2011, when the vehicle Shirley was driving on the Sanibel Causeway drifted out of its lane and struck a bicyclist. During the FHP investigation, information was developed that Shirley had received controlled substances from an unknown doctor. FHP requested the assistance of FDLE with determining what physician Shirley received medication from around the time of the crash.
During the investigation, agents learned that Shirley had gone to seven different medical clinics and was receiving similar controlled substances from doctors, some within the same 30-day period.
Between June 2010 and November 2011, Shirley obtained 10,752 oxycodone tablets and 1,100 hydrocodone tablets. Additionally Shirley obtained hydromorphone and alprazolam during some of the visits.
Shirley turned herself into FDLE agents and FHP troopers today at the FDLE Fort Myers Regional Operations Center and was transported to the Lee County Jail. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the Statewide Prosecution.
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