Herald-Citizen (Cookeville, Tennessee)
Psychiatrist accused of statutory rape
By Mary Jo Denton
June 10, 2008

CROSSVILLE — A Cookeville doctor who has offices here and in other towns has been arrested on two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure.

Dr. Chip Hayward Fountain, 44, a psychiatrist, was indicted by the Cumberland County grand jury in May after a lengthy investigation which included the Department of Children’s Services, the district attorney’s staff, and the Cumberland Sheriff’s Department.

Cumberland County authorities said Fountain is charged with “being sexually involved with a former juvenile female patient.”

District Attorney Tony Craighead said the alleged relationship was with a 15-year-old girl who was being treated by the doctor.

He said the case developed after the girl’s mother became suspicious and filed a complaint with Cumberland County Sheriff’s officers.

Craighead said the investigation took several months and said the state’s medical licensing board is also “looking into it.” He said investigators found no indication or allegations “that there were any other victims.”

Fountain surrendered to authorities in Crossville on May 27 after being informed that an indictment had been issued.

Bond was set at $15,000, and he posted bond and was released.

According to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, Fountain graduated from Texas Tech University Health Service Center School for Medicine in the late 1990’s.

The case was investigated in Cumberland County by Detective Jeff Slayton and others.

Under state law, statutory rape is defined as sexual relations between two consenting persons, when one is under the age of 18 and the other is at least four years older than the victim.

Craighead said the crime Fountain is charged with is a D felony punishable by two to four years in prison.