Former Watertown Surgeon Alan Christensen Scheduled for Jury Trial in Brookings County in Prairie Lakes Hospital Burglary Case
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - An update to the initial news article, as a two-day jury trial has now been scheduled for former Watertown surgeon Dr. Alan Christensen following a grand jury indictment and local judicial recusals in his criminal burglary case.
Grand Jury Indictment and Felony Charges
A Codington County grand jury formally indicted the 65-year-old physician on August 20, 2026, following testimony from Watertown Police Officer Martin Geier. Christensen faces a charge of First-Degree Burglary (Nighttime), a Class 2 felony, or in the alternative, Third-Degree Burglary, a Class 5 felony. Prosecutors also charged Christensen with Second-Degree Petty Theft, a Class 2 misdemeanor, for allegedly taking property valued at $400 or less from Prairie Lakes Hospital. In response, the State’s Attorney’s Office filed a formal demand requiring defense counsel to give notice if Christensen intends to offer an alibi defense.
Judicial Recusals Prompt Venue Shift
The criminal proceedings encountered administrative changes earlier in August when Third Judicial Circuit Judges Dawn Elshere and Carmen Means both recused themselves from presiding over the case. In an August 12 memorandum, Judge Elshere noted that both judges required disqualification because Christensen had served as their personal physician.
Circuit Court Judge Abigail Howard was subsequently assigned to oversee the case, with hearings transferred to the Brookings County Courthouse.
Pretrial Timeline and Trial Schedule
According to an August 25 pretrial order, all pretrial motions—including requests for discovery, witness sequestration, evidence suppression, and specific jury instructions—must be served and filed by 5:00 p.m. on October 9, 2026.
· Pretrial & Motion Hearing: October 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom A of the Brookings County Courthouse.
· Jury Trial: November 18–19, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom A before Magistrate Judge Howard.
Case Background
The criminal charges stem from an early morning incident on June 27, 2026, three days after Christensen was terminated from Prairie Lakes Healthcare System following a surgical incident. Security video captured a vehicle arriving at 1:03 a.m., after which Christensen forced entry through a loose employee door at the facility’s Sanford clinic side. Surveillance footage recorded him leaving with his former work laptop and pushing a locked “Shred-It” bin on a dolly.
During a July 2 search warrant execution at his home, Christensen admitted to the break-in, stating he needed documents out of the shredding bin near his former office and took action because hospital staff would not assist him. Law enforcement recovered both the laptop and the untampered document bin from a nearby shed.
Christensen also remains a co-defendant alongside Prairie Lakes Health Care System and Sanford Health in an ongoing civil medical malpractice lawsuit regarding a 2023 gallbladder surgery.
