David Bower, a former Soldotna police officer arrested in July 2023 on a charge of domestic violence assault, was acquitted following a five-day trial in late June.
Bower, 51, was arrested on July 19, 2023, when the Alaska Bureau of Investigation’s Soldotna Major Crimes Unit said he had assaulted a family member on July 18. He had worked for the Soldotna Police Department since 2004. While court proceedings unfolded, Bower was placed on administrative leave from the department, later retiring April 1.
The trial began on June 24, 2024. Bower did not testify. According to notes from the trial, the jury returned their determination after around three hours of deliberation on the fifth day, June 28. They found Bower not guilty of the charge of fourth-degree assault, which describes the crime of recklessly causing physical injury to another person.
Because Bower was found not guilty of the assault charge, an additional charge of violating conditions of release was dismissed. That charge was for an alleged violation of Bower’s bail conditions’ restriction on drinking that Bower’s attorney, Andy Pevehouse, in August said was triggered by dental mouthwash.
Pevehouse in a written statement said on Friday, July 12, that “(his client’s) position from day one was that he was justified to use reasonable force to protect himself and his home.”
“We argued that Mr. Bower was being held to higher standard … because he was a police officer,” Pevehouse said. “The jury’s verdict shows that his use of force was reasonable and proportional. His jury understood that, off the clock, police officers are just ordinary people with everyday problems.”
A letter to the Clarion received Thursday, July 11, from Lissa Bower, one of Bower’s children who didn’t live at the home in July 2023, expressed support for her father following the not guilty verdict.
“My dad deserves for the world to know, that he is not the man that he’s been painted to be,” she wrote. “He is kind, loving, courageous, honest, empathetic, full of integrity. He has all the qualities that you would want in a police officer and a father.”
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
