# Westerly, RI police officer charged with sexual assault



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) -- A Westerly police officer has been charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.

Police Chief Edward Mello says the girl told police June 16th that patrol officer Don Thompson had sexually assaulted her in the parking lot of a bar that day. He was off-duty at the time.

Thompson turned himself in to state police earlier this week. They charged him with two counts of second-degree sexual assault.

Westerly police charged him with reckless driving, operating with a suspended license and refusal to submit to a chemical test. Mello says the driving offenses stem from an incident the same day as the alleged assault. He didn't give further details.

Thompson has been released on personal recognizance. Mello says he's suspended without pay as a result of the assault charges.


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