Ex-policeman innocent of molestation charge

Published 7:00 pm Tuesday, January 30, 2018

A former Westport police officer recently was found innocent of a charge of child molestation. The jury took just less than an hour to return its verdict.

David Gary Piukkula was charged with third-degree child molestation on Aug. 25, accused of molesting a 15-year-old girl at his Montesano home in May of 2017.

On Jan. 25, Piukkula was found not guilty. The trial lasted a little more than a day. On the second day, the jury retired to deliberate at 9:34 a.m. and court was reconvened by 10:33 a.m. for the verdict.

A judgment of acquittal and an order of immediate release was entered.

Judge David Edwards presided over the trial.

In his trial memorandum, Piukkula’s attorney, David Mistachkin, noted, “There does not appear to be any witnesses, physical evidence, medical evidence or any other form of corroboration of the allegations being made.”