The Battle Ground police on Thursday arrested Mark S. LaRue, 64, on charges of second-degree rape and indecent liberties. He is now booked in the Clark County Jail with charges being sent to the prosecutor's office.
LaRue, who lives in Kalama, is the owner and licensed doctor of Battle Ground Family Chiropractic at 713 West Main Street, Suite 102, in Battle Ground. He opened up the Battle Ground office in 2002.
An investigation into LaRue was launched in May of this year after two women patients, ages 22 and 47, reported that he “touched them inappropriately in a sexual manner while they received chiropractic and massage treatments at his Battle Ground clinic,” a city of Battle Ground news release reads.
Through the investigation, detectives believed this wasn’t the first time women have reported inappropriate touching after seeing LaRue for treatment. In 2003 and 2004, three different women reported similar allegations.
“While reports were made to the Department of Health and one to the Battle Ground Police Department, there was not sufficient evidence at that time to charge or prosecute LaRue,” the city stated in a news release.
The investigation is still open and detectives are asking anyone with additional information to contact Det. Sgt. Kim Armstrong at 360-342-5252 or by email at kim.armstrong@cityofbg.org.
