Poulsbo mayoral candidate Ricky Moon in court on various charges between 2002-07 | Updated

POULSBO — Poulsbo mayoral candidate Ricky D. Moon answered questions at a League of Women Voters candidates forum Oct. 9 about downtown parking, affordable housing, and the Growth Management Act.

But Moon didn’t have to answer one resident’s question about his brushes with the law between 2002 and 2009.

Moderator Catherine Ahl said at the beginning of the forum that she would not ask a question that was directed at only one candidate.

A resident said he submitted a question about Moon’s record in the last decade. According to a search of the Washington Courts database, Moon was charged with third-degree theft in 2007; driving with a suspended license in 2007 and 2006; operating equipment without a valid operator’s license and valid ID in 2006; negligent driving in 2005; false reporting in 2003; and possession of drug paraphernalia in 2002.

Moon and his daughter, campaign manager Amanda Hogue, did not respond to the North Kitsap Herald’s requests for comment.

Detailed court records for most of the cases are no longer on file because they took place a decade ago.

According to an available record, the 2007 driving with a suspended license charge was dismissed without prejudice, meaning the prosecutor could decide to indict or retry Moon for the same criminal charge at a later date.

Regarding the 2007 third-degree theft case in Poulsbo Municipal Court, the file “has been destroyed per the state records retention schedule,” court records officer Linda Baker emailed early Oct. 17. According to the record available in the state court computer system, she wrote, “The charge was Theft 3 – which is a misdemeanor. The case was dismissed/compromise of misdemeanor [and] a $50 fine assessed, which typically means the parties came to an agreement.”

In the 2005 negligent driving case — for which court records are available — Moon was pulled over shortly before midnight July 13, 2005 near Highway 104 and Barber Cutoff Road after a sheriff’s officer saw him driving in the opposing lane, swerve to avoid an oncoming vehicle, and almost hit a guardrail. Moon, a contractor, told the officer he had been working round the clock, and on the job site drank one 24-ounce can of Ice House Beer on an empty stomach. Ice House has 5.5 percent alcohol. His blood alcohol level was measured at .094, above the legal limit of .08.

Moon was initially charged with DUI, but the charge was reduced to negligent driving. He was convicted on Dec. 9, 2005, received a suspended sentence of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, and two years’ probation.

Moon is running for mayor against incumbent Becky Erickson in the Nov. 7 election. The mayor is the full-time, salaried chief executive officer of the city. The mayor is elected for a four-year term and is paid $74,678 a year.

Previous coverage of the 2017 mayor’s race:

May 25: Poulsbo mayoral candidate was registered to vote out of city until he filed papers to run | 2017 Election Update

June 1: Two very different candidates for Poulsbo mayor

July 11: Q&A: Poulsbo mayoral candidate Ricky D. Moon | Podcast

Oct. 16: Erickson, Moon outline plans for the future

Ricky D. Moon … Poulsbo mayoral candidate’s arrests between 2002 and 2007 included possession of drug paraphernalia, false reporting, nefgligent driving, operating equipment without a valid operator’s license and valid ID, driving with a suspended license, and third-degree theft. Richard Walker/Kitsap News Group

Ricky D. Moon … Poulsbo mayoral candidate’s arrests between 2002 and 2007 included possession of drug paraphernalia, false reporting, nefgligent driving, operating equipment without a valid operator’s license and valid ID, driving with a suspended license, and third-degree theft. Richard Walker/Kitsap News Group