LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - A doctor in Valdosta is facing felony charges after making violent threats to employees at her medical practice.
Dr. Marian Antoinette Patterson turned herself into the Lowdnes County Jail on Thursday.
In February, Lowndes County deputies responded to a disturbance at Patterson's family medical practice on North Valdosta Road.
According to a license suspension order from the Georgia Composite Medical Board on Feb. 21, Patterson yelled expletives at employees in her office and repeatedly threatened to "slit their throats."
The order states she told another employee she was going to "cut her" from her "throat to private parts." Patterson also allegedly threatened to cut another employee's head off, "roll it down a hallway" and "call the employee's children so that they could see it."
At one point, Patterson grabbed an employee by the arm and refused to allow the employee to leave.
Documents state she then threw water on two employees, threw various items to include a reflex hammer, and grabbed her "diploma off the wall, threw it to the floor and stomped on it."
It is believed that Patterson could have been "under the influence" more than once at her practice, according to the order.
The board suspended her license on March 5 because her practice "poses a threat to the public health, safety, and welfare, and imperatively requires emergency action."
Following an investigation, detectives issued arrest warrants for Patterson. Patterson turned herself into the Lowndes County Jail Thursday and has since been released on bond.
She is being charged with three counts of terroristic threats and one count of false imprisonment.
Patterson has been licensed to practice since 1996. Board records show no disciplinary actions have been taken against Patterson prior to this incident.
It's unclear if the practice is operating under a subcontracted doctor or if it's closed completely.
