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Doctor Who Treated Chargers Linebacker Junior Seau May Lose License

Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau's mother, Luisa Seau, touches a replica of Seau's retired No. 55 jersey during a pre-game ceremony before an NFL football game between the Chargers and Tennessee Titans, Sept. 16, 2012, in San Diego. The Chargers retired the No. 55 jersey worn by Junior Seau, who committed suicide on May 2, 2012.
Associated Press
Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau's mother, Luisa Seau, touches a replica of Seau's retired No. 55 jersey during a pre-game ceremony before an NFL football game between the Chargers and Tennessee Titans, Sept. 16, 2012, in San Diego. The Chargers retired the No. 55 jersey worn by Junior Seau, who committed suicide on May 2, 2012.

Doctor Who Treated Chargers Linebacker Junior Seau May Lose License
Doctor Who Treated Chargers Linebacker Junior Seau May Lose LicenseGUEST:JW August, producer, NBC 7 San Diego

Dr. David Chao, a former member of the San Diego Chargers' medical staff, started treating famed linebacker Junior Seau in 1997 and continued after the athlete's retirement in 2010.

Seau committed suicide in 2012, and investigations into his death have revolved around Chao's prescription of the sleeping drug Ambien to Seau. Ambien has been found to increase depression. Seau drove his car off a cliff in Carlsbad in 2010, but Chao said he didn't consider that a suicide attempt.

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In 2014, the California Medical Board put Chao on probation but still allowed him to practice in spite of a history of malpractice suits and alcohol-related driving incidents.

Chao has now been charged by the medical board with gross negligence and unprofessional conduct in Seau's death. This time he could lose his license to practice medicine.

Chao's lawyer, Robert Frank, released a statement saying the charges are "insinuating attack by a politically motivated government agency."

JW August worked with the unit at 10News that investigated Chao's practice. He's now a producer with NBC 7 San Diego. August discusses the latest charges on Midday Edition Friday.