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Police charge local physician following alleged assault at local hospital

NBPS says the physician assaulted a patient and threatened another person at the hospital
2015 10 21 Hospital North Bay 1 turl

Officers from the North Bay Police Service arrested a physician on Monday, following an incident police say occurred at the local hospital last Thursday.

NBPS says it will not release the name of the accused in order to protect the identity of the victims. 

However, the website of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), identifies the doctor as Aaron James Van Vliet, 45, a specialist in Orthopedic Surgery with an office on Algonquin Avenue.

Van Vliet is charged with:

  • Assault with a weapon
  • Uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm

On April 18 NBPS was contacted after an incident at a local hospital involving a physician who police say assaulted a patient and threatened another person at the hospital.

Officers from the Criminal Investigations Unit have concluded their investigation, and arrested and charged Van Vliet after he turned himself in at police headquarters on Monday.

On April 22 the following  bail release conditions were imposed on Van Vliet:

  • must notify North Bay Police Service within 48 hours in advance of any change of address.
  • must not communicate, directly or indirectly, with named persons, save and except through counsel.
  • must not go to a specified address, or any place where named persons live, go to school, frequent, or happen to be, save and except through counsel.

See related: NBRHC chief of staff addresses accused doctor, hospital violence

The accused was released on an undertaking with a future court date.