OAKLAND -- The head of neurosurgery at Oakland's Highland Hospital has been suspended following an altercation with sheriff's deputies, authorities announced Thursday.

Dr. David Altman said the fate of the neurosurgeon, Dr. Federico Castro-Moure, would be determined following investigations by county health and law enforcement officials.

Sheriff's Capt. William Eskridge said the Alameda County district attorney's office charged Castro-Moure today with a misdemeanor count of interfering with deputies in the course of their duties.

Eskridge said deputies also had arrested Castro-Moure on suspicion of being drunk in public, but prosecutors declined to charge him with that offense.

Eskridge said deputies tried to conduct a test of the doctor's breath during the incident around 8:30 p.m. Monday, but he was uncooperative and the test results were incomplete.

Altman said Alameda County Medical Center officials are "very concerned" about the incident.

He said Castro-Moure has been at Highland Hospital since November 1999 and is a "well-respected neurosurgeon." Altman added he's not aware of the doctor being involved in any other incidents of possible misconduct.

Altman said that on Monday, Castro-Moure got into a dispute with nurses after they told him he should wait several hours for sterile surgical equipment to arrive before operating on a patient. Altman said Castro-Moure wanted to operate immediately, but the nurses believed the surgery did not have to be rushed because the patient was stable enough.

A charge nurse called deputies to the disturbance on the fifth floor of the hospital. The patient's operation took place on Tuesday.

Altman said in light of this incident, the county medical center's policies on alcohol use would be reviewed.