The District Attorney — 18th Judicial District
  • Our Office
    • About Us
      • Meet the District Attorney
      • Mission Statement
      • Law Enforcement Partners
      • Unified Metropolitan Forensic Crime Lab
      • Forms and Brochures
      • Organization Chart
    • Contact Us
    • Employment
    • General Courts
      • District Court
      • Juvenile Court
      • County Court
    • Specialized Units
      • Conviction Integrity Unit
      • Cold Case
      • Appeals
      • Vehicular Homicide Unit
      • Diversion Counseling Program
      • Special Victims Unit (SVU)
      • Domestic Violence Unit
      • Human Trafficking Unit
      • Elder and at Risk Unit
      • Economic Crime Unit
      • Problem Solving Courts
    • Support Units
      • Finance Unit
      • Communications
      • Human Resources
      • Technology
      • Investigations
      • Victim Witness Unit
      • Central Services
      • Victim Compensation
  • Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Victim Services
    • Victim Witness Unit
      • Victim Impact Statement and Restitution Information
    • Victim Rights
    • Victim Compensation
    • Domestic Violence
      • Domestic Violence Fast Track
    • Sexual Assault
    • Sex Offender Locator
  • Community Outreach
    • Newsletter
    • Consumer Fraud Protection
      • Community Presentations
      • Wage Theft
      • Fraud Alerts
      • Bad Check Restitution Program — DISCONTINUED
    • Outreach
    • Events
      • Senior Law & Safety Summit: May 21, 2022
      • Second Chances Warrant Clearance
      • Community Conversations
      • Citizen’s Academy
    • Volunteer
  • Reports
    • Data Dashboards
    • Financial Reports
    • Media
    • News Releases
    • Records Request
    • Officer-Involved Shootings
    • Peace Officer Credibility Disclosure Notification
  • Prosecution
    • Criminal Justice Glossary
    • Courtroom Diagram
    • Records Request
    • Docket Search
Ex-Taekwondo instructor sentenced to five decades in prison...
Report of June 1, 2023 officer-involved shooting in...
Enrollment open for Fall 2023 Citizen’s Academy
MS-13 gang member sentenced to life in prison...
Defendant in Douglas County double-homicide case sentenced to...
Arrest warrant issued in 2007 double-homicide cold case...
Report of February 2, 2023 officer-involved shooting in...
Colorado Springs woman sentenced to two decades in...
Jury returns guilty verdict for Littleton man who...
More than 100 warrants cancelled during ‘Second Chances’...

The District Attorney — 18th Judicial District

  • Our Office
    • About Us
      • Meet the District Attorney
      • Mission Statement
      • Law Enforcement Partners
      • Unified Metropolitan Forensic Crime Lab
      • Forms and Brochures
      • Organization Chart
    • Contact Us
    • Employment
    • General Courts
      • District Court
      • Juvenile Court
      • County Court
    • Specialized Units
      • Conviction Integrity Unit
      • Cold Case
      • Appeals
      • Vehicular Homicide Unit
      • Diversion Counseling Program
      • Special Victims Unit (SVU)
      • Domestic Violence Unit
      • Human Trafficking Unit
      • Elder and at Risk Unit
      • Economic Crime Unit
      • Problem Solving Courts
    • Support Units
      • Finance Unit
      • Communications
      • Human Resources
      • Technology
      • Investigations
      • Victim Witness Unit
      • Central Services
      • Victim Compensation
  • Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Victim Services
    • Victim Witness Unit
      • Victim Impact Statement and Restitution Information
    • Victim Rights
    • Victim Compensation
    • Domestic Violence
      • Domestic Violence Fast Track
    • Sexual Assault
    • Sex Offender Locator
  • Community Outreach
    • Newsletter
    • Consumer Fraud Protection
      • Community Presentations
      • Wage Theft
      • Fraud Alerts
      • Bad Check Restitution Program — DISCONTINUED
    • Outreach
    • Events
      • Senior Law & Safety Summit: May 21, 2022
      • Second Chances Warrant Clearance
      • Community Conversations
      • Citizen’s Academy
    • Volunteer
  • Reports
    • Data Dashboards
    • Financial Reports
    • Media
    • News Releases
    • Records Request
    • Officer-Involved Shootings
    • Peace Officer Credibility Disclosure Notification
  • Prosecution
    • Criminal Justice Glossary
    • Courtroom Diagram
    • Records Request
    • Docket Search

Judge sends doctor to jail for choking Lone Tree nurse

June 23, 2020

A doctor who choked a nurse at Sky Ridge Medical Center will spend 30 days in jail as part of his sentence.

Mark Randle Ryan

Mark Randle Ryan

Douglas County District Court Judge Theresa Slade on Monday sentenced Mark Randle Ryan, 58, to 30 days in jail.  Ryan pleaded guilty March 9, 2020, to one count of second-degree assault by strangulation, a Class 4 felony, and one count of third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor. The sentence includes a three-year deferred judgment on the felony count and three years probation on the misdemeanor count, as well as 100 hours of community service, mental health treatment and anger management therapy. Ryan has relinquished his medical license.

“Few people in society have as much responsibility as the medical professionals we trust to treat us in the hospital. This defendant was an anesthesiologist, who worked in stressful situations every day to monitor patients during surgery,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “No occupation, regardless of stress, provides an excuse for assault, especially strangulation. The message here is clear: Teacher, electrician, attorney or doctor … viciously attack a coworker and go to jail.”

Judge Slade chose to sentence Ryan to 30 days in jail, citing his lack of empathy and the lasting damage choking can have on a victim.

“This happened in front of other patients and in front of other professionals,” Slade told Ryan. “When you did this to (the nurse), she couldn’t care for other patients, and you put them at risk. You don’t get to act this way, ever.”

Ryan was working as a contract anesthesiologist at Sky Ridge Medical Center on Oct. 8, 2018, when he and the charge nurse in the recovery room had a disagreement about him turning off the vital-sign machines of patients recovering from surgery.

A 51-year-old female nurse reminded Ryan not to turn off the machines. He grabbed her by the throat and squeezed her neck so that she felt pain and saw stars, she told Lone Tree police officers.

“Mark Ryan strangled me in a recovery room filled with patients and staff in a selfish act of violence,” the nurse told Judge Slade during sentencing June 22. “I was assaulted by a man who took an oath to do no harm.  I feel he might have killed me if no one else would have been around.”

The nurse reported the incident to officials at the hospital. Later that night she contacted police, who arrested Ryan.

“A doctor is supposed to be in the hospital helping others, not hurting someone who was there to help him,” Deputy District Attorney Dan Warhola told the judge as he asked her to impose jail time. “He grossly abused his position of authority.”

Judge sends doctor to jail for choking Lone Tree nurse was last modified: June 23rd, 2020 by Eric Ross

Recent Posts

  • Ex-Taekwondo instructor sentenced to five decades in prison for recording multiple children in changing rooms
  • Report of June 1, 2023 officer-involved shooting in Aurora involving 14-year-old juvenile
  • Enrollment open for Fall 2023 Citizen’s Academy
  • MS-13 gang member sentenced to life in prison without parole
  • Defendant in Douglas County double-homicide case sentenced to 97 years in prison
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Footer Logo
  • Our Office
  • Victim Services
  • Community Outreach
  • Media
  • Employment
  • Contact Us
  • Prosecution
  • Disclaimer Policy

© 2022 - DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE 18 JUDICIAL DISTRICT