Drug-Trial Testimony Begins In Duvall Councilman's Case -- Attorney: Zumwalt Not Perfect, But Not Guilty

Ernie Zumwalt is no angel, but he did not sell drugs to an undercover informer in July, his attorney said yesterday.

Zumwalt, on trial in King County Superior Court for alleged possession and sale of cocaine, sat silent with his head bent as the jury in the case heard opening arguments.

Zumwalt, 41, a first-term Duvall city councilman, allegedly sold drugs last summer to a paid police informer, a longtime Duvall resident who had been a friend of Zumwalt for more than 10 years.

Zumwalt wasn't arrested until Aug. 1, in what was a major drug sweep in the small Snoqualmie Valley city. When police officers pulled over Zumwalt in his maroon van, they said they found cocaine locked inside a bank bag and another bundle of cocaine inside a vest.

Acknowledging that Zumwalt had used and sold drugs in the past, defense attorney Tony Savage said his client had turned around his life and no longer was involved with drugs. Savage said Zumwalt did not sell drugs to the informer. And when Zumwalt was arrested, Savage said, his client was unaware there were drugs in his van.

Deputy Prosecutor Cindi Port said Zumwalt's troubles with the law began when the informer, armed with $40 to buy drugs and $5 for a beer, met up with Zumwalt at the Duvall Tavern on July 25.

At some point that night, Zumwalt left the tavern to get something in his van. Then Zumwalt went back into the tavern, where he sold a half-gram of cocaine for $40 to the informer, Port said.

Bellevue police Detective Kurt Rasco, who led the drug investigation, told the jury that Zumwalt initially denied involvement in drug trafficking. Rasco testified that Zumwalt later broke down and told Rasco and a Redmond detective that he did sell drugs, but only to friends.

Zumwalt told Rasco that once a week he bought an "eight ball" (an eighth of an ounce of drugs) from another Duvall man, Randall "Rat" Trombley, and that he used half and sold the other half, Rasco testified.

During cross examination, Savage attempted to chip away at the informer's credibility by painting him as a former drug user not to be trusted. Savage said the informer had been close friends with Zumwalt, and had lived with him and borrowed $2,500 to $3,000 from him.

The informer is expected to take the stand Monday when the trial resumes.

Trombley also was arrested and charged with delivery of cocaine. Zumwalt and Trombley owned a trailer in which police found money and drug paraphernalia during a search in August, prosecutors said.

Trombley pleaded guilty and will be sentenced Jan. 23. Zumwalt, who is free on $30,000 bail, remains on the City Council.

Putsata Reang's phone message number is 206-515-5629. Her e-mail address is: prea-new@seatimes.com