PONDERAY, Idaho — A well-known Spokane doctor has reached a plea deal after facing a felony charge, according to court records. Investigators said he stalked a North Idaho woman last year.
The doctor, Joseph Kincaid, was a prominent South Hill pediatrician. An abbreviated hearing summary indicated Kincaid may receive two years of probation. Court documents also showed a marijuana possession charge was dropped.
Although records show that Kincaid has an active medical license, information online indicates that Kincaid isn’t practicing.
Online records show that Kincaid's medical license is still active in Washington State. When contacted on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the Washington Medical Commission said that the agency doesn't have any records indicating Kincaid's license was the subject of an investigation or inquiry.
The Washington Medical Commission serves as the agency responsible for investigating and taking disciplinary action against licensed doctors, including suspending and revoking medical licenses.
Stephanie McManus, a WMC spokeswoman, told KREM that law enforcement agencies and courts aren't required to inform the agency if a doctor is simply arrested. "However, the standards for professional conduct would require a [doctor] to self-report if they are convicted of a felony," McManus wrote in an email.
McManus added that the agency "relies" on complaints to fuel investigations into doctors accused of malpractice or other concerns. State law sets standards and procedures for WMC investigations. "Anyone can file a complaint for any reason," McManus said.
State law also lists several reasons that could cause a doctor to lose their license. Included in addition to several malpractice examples are reasons related to "unprofessional conduct," including violating drug laws and misuse of alcohol and controlled substances.
The charge Kincaid faces stems from an incident on July 15th of last year. According to a report from police in Ponderay, a woman contacted authorities after she had been receiving unwanted attention from Kincaid. Days prior, Kincaid had allegedly showed up at her work and had since been sending her text messages and phone calls. The night of the 15th, records show that Kincaid came to her home while she was gone, left a gift, and spoke with a neighbor.
The same day, a Ponderay police officer pulled over an RV being driven by Kincaid due to the vehicle not having operating taillights. The officer, in his report, noted that Kincaid smelled of marijuana was acting strange. “Kincaid during this time was very excited and kept approaching me and I had to tell him to step away from me several times,” the officer wrote.
When the officer brought up recent contact that Kincaid had made with the victim, Kincaid claimed that the woman was his “new girlfriend.” The officer then told Kincaid that the victim “wants nothing to do with you.” Kincaid apologized, but subsequently described himself as “a man in love” and was going to propose to her. “I’m not myself,” Kincaid was quoted as saying in the report. “It was going to be a joke proposal,” he allegedly said.
During a following search of Kincaid’s RV, officers found five pistols, some of which were loaded. Officers also located two large cans of bear spray and a marijuana cigarette. Kincaid was eventually arrested and charged with first degree stalking, a felony, and misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Court documents indicate that a judge ordered a psychological evaluation for Kincaid. He was later deemed competent to stand trial, records show.
When previously contacted by KREM, Kincaid said he couldn’t comment on the charges. “I can’t talk about that,” he said. “It was a misunderstanding and I’m pleading ‘not guilty.’ Hopefully it will be taken care of,” Kincaid said.
