Three local criminal trials postponed

Several local criminal trials are still awaiting their day in court.

— Amanda Dixon, former Poulsbo Police clerk, was charged with two counts of theft of a firearm in 2011, accused of stealing two guns from the police evidence locker. Dixon was then charged with third-degree child molestation in May.

Her attorney, Ron Ness, said she has pleaded not guilty and will face all three charges at one trial, set for Oct. 23.

— Casey Cutlip of Poulsbo was arrested by Poulsbo officers in February for allegedly shooting his friend in the head. The 56-year-old is charged with first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty in Kitsap County Superior Court Monday, relying on insanity as his defense.

His attorney, Tina Robinson, said Cutlip is undergoing a psychological evaluation by state experts. His trial is set for Dec. 3, but Robinson expects that will be continued into early next year.

— Mark Nilluka of Suquamish is facing charges for vehicular homicide from a collision in November 2010, but his trial is postponed while Nilluka remains in a coma.

North Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews responded to a “diving mishap” in August, when a diver, later identified as Nilluka, was pulled unconscious from Port Gamble Bay. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition. His lawer, Julie Gaiford, said he has been in a coma since the accident.

“Should there be a change in his condition, there will be a very long continuance,” she said.

Nilluka was charged in November 2011 with causing the death of Florentino Tabafunda. According to the report, Nilluka was towing a boat on Suquamish Way near Totten Road, when the trailer became unhitched from Nilluka’s truck and the boat collided with Tabafunda’s car. Officials determined a collapsed spring caused a latch malfunction, and that safety chains were not used as required.

 

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