Ex-Pasco officer's retrial is March 15 on rape, assault charges

The retrial for a former Pasco police officer charged with rape is set to start March 15.

The prosecutor and the defense attorney for Richard J. Aguirre both told a judge Tuesday they are ready to proceed as scheduled.

Aguirre is charged in Franklin County Superior Court with third-degree rape and fourth-degree assault. He is accused of raping a woman in 2014 after going out for dinner and drinks.

The woman, who has known Aguirre her entire life, testified in the first trial last summer that she thought it was safe to spend the night at his Pasco home instead of driving back to Yakima County. She said after passing out on one side of his bed, she awoke to him sexually assaulting her.

Aguirre denied any sexual contact with the woman.

A mistrial was declared after the jury said it could not reach a unanimous verdict. Prosecutors opted to re-try the case.

This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Ex-Pasco officer's retrial is March 15 on rape, assault charges."