Doctor accused of drugging woman's drink at Boca bar

BOCA RATON, Fla. (CBS12) — A South Florida doctor is accused of putting a powdery substance in a woman's drink at a bar in Boca Raton.

Police arrested 50-year-old Mircea Albin Morariu on a charge of poison food, water or medicine.

According to the arrest report, the incident reportedly happened in September. A customer at Ouzo Bay said she saw a man at the bar pour a powdery substance into a woman's martini just after she left the bar to go to the restroom. The customer said she saw the woman drink from the glass as well. She then alerted the bartender who brought the glass to his manager. The manager told investigators he saw a powdery substance at the bottom and around the rim of the glass. The woman went to Boca Raton Regional Hospital to be checked out.

Morariu told police he didn't put any powdery substance in the woman's drink. Police released him at the scene. Officers searched the men's bathroom and found a clear plastic bag containing a white powder residue.

Police also have surveillance video from inside the bar. According to the report, it shows Morariu alone at the bar and him reaching into his back pocket, but the video pauses and, according to the report, it doesn't show whether Morariu poured anything into the customer's drink.

Investigators said the plastic bag contained residue of Zolpidem and Alprazolam, Schedule IV drugs. The martini glass also contained residue of Zolpidem.

According to the toxicology report, the woman who consumed the drink had evidence of Ethanol, Benzoylecgonine, which is a cocaine metabolite, Alprazolam and Zolpidem. A urine analysis showed the presence of cocaine, Benzoylecgonine, Alprazolam, Alpha-hydroxyalprazolam, and Zolpidem. The toxicology manager said the levels of cocaine were low, and the blood alcohol results were consistent with consuming a few drinks, the police report said.

The woman told police she recently reconnected with Morariu, a man she had known through mutual friends for about 20 years. She said she agreed to meet with him at the bar to discuss Morariu's recent engagement. She said she had not consumed any alcohol or drugs prior to arriving at the bar, the report said

Boca Police says Morariu is a doctor.