A Carroll County grand jury this week returned a 12-count indictment, including three felonies, against a Carrollton oral surgeon, alleging he assaulted patients under sedation.

Dr. Gordon Trent Austin, 55, of Carrollton faces nine counts of simple battery, two of aggravated assault and one of first-degree child cruelty in the indictment returned Tuesday.

The indictment alleges incidents dating to October 2004 and stems from the treatment of eight patients.

One patient, Laura Crowder, filed suit against Austin on March 26 in Carroll County State Court. The suit, served on Austin but not yet answered by him, alleges he was physically abusive to the woman during a May 2006 visit.

The suit alleges Austin extracted Crowder's teeth without enough anesthesia and then hit her in the face with a heavy metal object when she tried to resist, telling her to "stop that" and to "shut up."

Atlanta attorney Matthew Coles represents Austin in the civil suit and called the allegations "completely erroneous."

"Dr. Austin has served this community for nearly three decades and cared for thousands and thousands of patients," Coles said. "He has a long-standing record of compassionate care to patients."

Because of federal patient privacy laws, Coles said Austin is unable to comment specifically on Crowder's accusations.

"Without her permission, we can't speak with any detail to any patient's care," Coles said.

Austin previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of justice after he was arrested in November 2001 on felony charges of first degree forgery and falsifying documents.

Carrollton police said that after learning that his 19-year-old daughter had been cited for underage drinking on the morning of Oct. 24, 2001, Austin gave police a forged lab report showing she had no alcohol in her blood.

At the time she was arrested, police used a breath tester that registered her blood alcohol at 0.21 percent, police said. In Georgia, drivers can be charged with driving under the influence if their blood alcohol is over 0.08.

Austin gave police reports from Tanner Medical Center — a facility he often worked with —- that said doctors there had tested the girl's blood and found no traces of alcohol.

The father of two wanted the charge against his daughter dismissed, said police.