Bellefonte dentist acquitted of rape charge now faces lawsuit from woman who accused him

The woman who accused former Bellefonte Family Dentistry owner Wade Newman of kidnapping and raping her while she was sedated filed a lawsuit against him on Friday.

Newman, who was found not guilty of all charges in July, was named in the lawsuit alongside current owner Richard Miller and the dentist office itself. Newman no longer works at the office after he sold the business to Miller.

Endodontist Adam Fields was scheduled to perform a root canal procedure on the woman at State Endodontics on Oct. 18, 2016 after a referral from Newman and Miller.

Newman subsequently performed the sedation the day of the procedure, picked her up at her Bellefonte residence and drove her to Field’s office for the appointment.

According to the lawsuit, the woman said she believed Newman would tell Fields and his office that she was to be picked up by her husband after the procedure. Instead, Newman escorted her back home from Fields’ office.

She accused Newman of “misrepresenting” the plan to Field’s staff, which deprived her and her husband of “the opportunity to act to protect (her) when she was not fully recovered from the sedation, which Newman had administered to her.”

The lawsuit also claims she remained under the influence of the sedation for “a number of hours,” where she drifted in and out of consciousness, was not fully aware of her surroundings and “was unable to make any decisions to take any action to protect herself.”

“After driving (her) to her home, Newman took (her) into her house and sexually assaulted her there,” the lawsuit said. “At no time did (the woman) consent to any sexual conduct of any kind with Newman and she lacked the capability and capacity of doing so because she was under the influence of anesthetic administered to her by Newman, which Newman knew or should have known.”

The woman is suing the trio for tort, respondeat superior, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault and battery and two other counts. She is requesting a jury trial and is seeking more than $25,000.

Philip Masorti, one of two attorneys representing the woman, said he is not permitted to comment on the case. Fellow attorney Thomas Berret did not respond to a request for comment.

This story was originally published December 12, 2018 at 12:41 PM.