Former medical examiner sentenced for falsifying at least one exam

A medical examiner who pleaded guilty last August to falsifying exams was sentenced on March 21. The former examiner was given prison time and is required to pay thousands of dollars.

Tonya Rae Yawn-Lewis of Helena, Ga., was charged with one count of falsification of records with intent to impede proper administration of Department of Transportation in August 2017. On June 5, 2015, Yawn-Lewis allowed a holder of a commercial driver’s license to renew his license without even performing a medical examination.

According to a U.S. DOT news release, Yawn-Lewis was a licensed nurse practitioner at the time and was an approved medical examiner on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.

Court documents reveal that Yawn-Lewis was sentenced on March 21 to 20 months in prison, three years supervised release, a $5,000 fine and a special assessment of $100. No restitution or community service was levied against Yawn-Lewis.

The U.S. DOT’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case with the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from FMCSA.

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Georgia medical examiner charged for passing driver without conducting exam