Dr. Thomas Tyma Faces More Charges of Indecent Assault, Harassment

Dr. Thomas Tyma is scheduled for a June 24 preliminary hearing on new charges of indecent assault and harassment that were filed last week with Northern Regional Police Department.

The 54-year-old rheumatologist, who previously practiced at Allegheny North Arthritis Center in Wexford, has been accused of touching female patients inappropriately during examinations, according to police reports.

The Sewickley resident is facing 21 charges of indecent assault and 20 charges of harassment in several cases in Allegheny and Lawrence counties.

In previous preliminary hearings, Tyma pleaded not guilty, and his attorney, Stanton D. Levenson, argued that the doctor was doing routine rheumatological examinations.

The women are not identified because they are the alleged victims of sexual assault.

The cases are at various stages in the court system. In the meantime, the State Board of Medicine has suspended Tyma's license.

In the Lawrence County case, a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Melissa A. Amodie was postponed until June 28.

In that case, a woman told New Castle City Police that Tyma touched her inappropriately when she was treated at Jameson Hospital South Campus. He has been charged with indecent assault and harassment.

Tyma is scheduled for a formal arraignment today on one charge of indecent assault, which McCandless Police Department filed for an incident that occurred at UPMC Passavant Hospital -- McCandless, according to the alleged victim's testimony.

All the other cases came through the Northern Regional Police Department.

A trial date of Sept. 12 is set for many of the cases in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, where Judge Donna Jo McDaniel will preside.