Former Sanford Watertown Clinic surgeon Dr. Alan Richard Christensen is facing criminal charges after allegedly forcing his way into a local medical facility to retrieve documents and a laptop days after his termination—all while defending against an active medical malpractice lawsuit.
Christensen’s employment at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS) was terminated on June 24, 2026, following an incident during a surgery he performed, and his access badge was deactivated two days later.
At approximately 1:00 AM on June 27, 2026, security cameras recorded Christensen driving a gray Ford F-150 into the hospital’s west-side parking lot. Knowing the employee entrance mechanism to the Sanford Family Medicine Clinic was loose, Christensen forced the door open without scanning a badge or key. Footage showed him leaving at 1:28 AM carrying a laptop-sized bag and returning at 1:37 AM pushing a “Shred-It” bin on a yellow dolly, which he loaded into his truck.
On July 2, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Christensen’s Watertown residence. After waiving his Miranda rights, Christensen confessed to forcing entry, explaining that he needed paperwork from the shred bin near his office and couldn’t get hospital staff to help him retrieve it.
Christensen led officers to a shed at 16952 460th Ave., where police recovered the untampered shred bin with all documents intact. Officers also retrieved his PLHS work laptop from his home.
Court documents filed July 7 outline two criminal charges against Christensen: third-degree burglary and second-degree petty theft (theft from a building of $400 or less).
Christensen was released after posting a $2,000 cash bond under conditions that he stay law-abiding, sign an extradition waiver, maintain a 1,000-foot distance from PLHS, and refrain from contacting PLHS administrators Tim Pugsley and Erica Bevers. His initial hearing is set for August 18, 2026, at the Codington County Courthouse.
You can read the full article at KXLG.