Cedar Park Regional Medical Center chief executive officer Abe Martinez resigned Wednesday, marking the second time in less than a year the hospital has lost its leader.

Hospital Associate Chief Executive Officer Carol Schmoyer confirmed Thursday Martinez had stepped down Jan. 20 and a search for an interim CEO was underway.

“He resigned so he could focus on personal and legal matters,” she said. “We will announce within the next several days the appointment of an interim CEO.”

Martinez is a defendant in a lawsuit filed in October 2009 with multiple civil charges leveled against him including extortion and racketeering alleged to have occurred during his time as CEO of Laredo Medical Center. The lawsuit, originally filed in state district court in Laredo was moved to federal court in November 2009.

Martinez joined CPRMC in March 2009 as interim CEO – a replacement for founding CEO Dr. David Klein who announced his resignation suddenly. In July, the hospital and its owner Community Health Systems, named Martinez as CEO of CPRMC.

In October, two Laredo doctors, Jose Berlioz, M.D. and Eliel Ntakirutimana, M.D., filed the lawsuit against Martinez and his former employer Laredo Medical Center with a 17-count filing including extortion charges of up to $300,000.

Previously, Martinez said the allegations were “not true” and called the accusations “egregious and false,” saying he intended to “vigorously defend myself.”

Previously the same charges had been investigated internally by Laredo Medical Center and dismissed.

Schmoyer said during the search for a new CEO, the hospital “will continue to focus on providing quality care for patients and focus on the long-term growth of the hospital.”