Botched plastic surgery crash

[Guest guest]

Posted on Fri, Aug. 09, 2002

Woman drives into canal, blames botched plastic surgeryBY ELENA CABRAL AND MICHAEL A.W. OTTEYmottey@...

A 32-year-old North Miami Beach woman who crashed her car through a seawall and into a canal Thursday told police she was trying to kill herself because a Hollywood plastic surgeon already under scrutiny for allegedly botching surgeries disfigured her, police said.

Around 2 a.m., Carucci plunged her silver Nissan into the Intracoastal just north of 1501 96th St. in Bay Harbor Islands, police said, and was pulled from the submerged vehicle through a rear window. ''I just want to die,'' she told police.

Carucci told police she had undergone a cosmetic procedure performed by Dr. Alton Ingram Jr. and that the doctor botched the surgery. Carucci's family did not wish to divulge the exact nature of the surgery and would say only that it was surgery ''to the chest area and stomach,'' according to Tony Mazzara, assistant chief of the Bay Harbor Islands Police Department.

Ingram could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Ingram is the plastic surgeon whose face-lift and eye job on Hollywood Realtor Olga Myers last week went awry. Myers was rushed from the Cosmetic Surgery Center, 3109 Stirling Rd., to the hospital. She was left comatose after the face-lift and eye job and died Wednesday after she was removed from life support.

The Broward medical examiner is still investigating the cause of Myers' death. Dr. Perper said Myers ultimately succumbed to pneumonia but that is common among patients who are comatose, as Myers was for several days.

Investigators must conduct a series of microscopic examinations and toxicology tests to find out what happened to Myers.

Since Myers' case surfaced, several others have come forward to say Ingram also left them horribly scarred or disfigured.

On Wednesday, Dr. Edison -- Ingram's partner -- announced through a spokeswoman that Ingram no longer works at the center and that the two men had decided to end their partnership. On Thursday, Edison released a statement saying Florida privacy laws prevent him from identifying patients.

Myers' death is the third known fatality that has resulted from surgery at the center since 1997. Edison was sued for medical malpractice after the two deaths and allegations of negligence.

Meanwhile, Carucci was taken to Aventura Hospital. No charges will be filed, Mazzara said.

He said Myers' death pushed Carucci over the edge.

''That doctor really messed me up,'' she told police.

When asked to what doctor she was referring, Carucci said, ''Dr. Ingram,'' according to the police report.

Mazzara said Carucci's husband confirmed that it was the Ingram who operated on Myers.

''The husband confirmed they're one and the same,'' Mazzara said.

Since Myers' case, Ingram has been under intense public scrutiny. State officials would not confirm, but the state Department of Health is reportedly investigating Ingram.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/3827469.htm