Woman sues visiting foreigner for giving her herpes

GALVESTON - A Galveston County woman seeks $200,000 from a foreigner after she reportedly contracted a sexually transmitted disease, recent court documents say.

In a lawsuit filed July 14 in Galveston County District Court, the woman identified as Jane Doe accuses Philip Crowther of giving her genital herpes.

The plaintiff and the respondent met in 2009 and subsequently became engaged.

Crowther, however, was not an American citizen but in the country on a limited visa.
Prior to his departure, he and Jane Doe had sexual intercourse.

The suit says the defendant was infected with the subject illness and had actual knowledge about his ailment.

"Because of this, the plaintiff became infected with an incurable disease," the original petition states.

Doe insists that Crowther concealed the aforementioned knowledge from her "because he supposedly believed that he could not transmit the disease."

She adds her physical health at the time of the alleged infection was marginal given previous injuries from a car wreck and cancer.

"The additional trauma suffered from learning that she now has an incurable disease has caused the plaintiff to suffer severe emotional distress and require treatment," the suit says.

It generally and ultimately argues that Crowther's actions classify as sexual assault.

Attorney Robert C. Bard is representing Doe, and Galveston County 212th District Court Judge Susan Criss is presiding over the case.

Case No. 11-cv-1160