Patient claims his eye doctor aggressively pursued and drugged him for a Las Vegas wedding

A patient claims in a lawsuit that his optometrist became obsessed with him, eventually drugging him to comply with plans for a quickie wedding in Las Vegas.  A complaint against the eye doctor has been filed in Horry County court in South Carolina, but it comes after she filed for divorce citing her husband's alleged alcohol abuse. 

Myrtle Beach Online has the full story. According to their coverage, Jonathan Garrick was a customer of a local Coastal Vision Center, where he was scheduled to see Carla Blankenship, OD, for some common issues with his sight—which the clinic was able to remedy. 

The initial appointment happened sometime in 2023, per dates established in the civil complaint. After the visit, Garrick alleges that Blankenship sent him a card in the mail, asking him out on a date.

Allegedly the optometrist would give Garrick free contact lenses, as he remained her patient after receiving the date offer. She is accused of escalating to physical advances during appointments, which were bolstered by "aggressive" text messages. 

For a while, it seemed Garrick was receptive—but the lawsuit alleges that was a result of his vulnerabilities being exploited, including that he recently suffered the loss of his parents and was a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Lawyers representing Garrick also point to his recent inheritance as a motivating factor for Blankenship's advances. 

Eventually the two got married in Las Vegas. However, Garrick claims he was under the influence of psychoactive substances at the time, something the lawsuit alleges he was “plied” with. 

The report from Myrtle Beach Online does not name the substances in question.

Shortly into their marriage, Blankenship began inserting herself into Garrick’s business affairs to assert control. She is also accused in the lawsuit of assaulting her husband, causing a severe injury to his hip that required emergency medical treatment. 

It was Blankenship who filed for divorce, citing Garrick’s use of alcohol. She has also sued him for support and a financial stake in his properties—which Garrick alleges were damaged by shoddy contract work ordered by his wife. 

The two have yet to resolve their differences in court. 

For more, read the full coverage from Myrtle Beach Online at the link below.