Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Kirkland resident Hope Solo pleaded not guilty to domestic violence charges at the Kirkland Justice Center on Monday. The prosecutor originally asked for $5,000 bail but Kirkland Municipal Court Judge Michael J. Lambo released her on recognizance with a pretrial hearing set for Aug. 11. Lambo also barred Solo from drinking alcohol prior to her next court date.
Solo was arrested for domestic violence after a family argument turned violent at her half-sister’s Kirkland home. Lambo issued a no-contact order with the two alleged victims.
Kirkland police responded to a call of disturbance at the home around 1 a.m. on Saturday morning.
“The male caller stated that a female at the residence was ‘hitting people’ and they could not get her to stop or to leave the house,” Kirkland Police Lt. Mike Murray said.
Murray added that upon the officers’ arrival at the home, they could immediately hear the sounds of the disturbance from outside the residence.
When officers entered the home they noticed Solo was upset and intoxicated. They also observed visible injuries to Solo’s 17-year-old nephew and her sister. Solo’s nephew had visible scratch marks, was bleeding from his ear and his t-shirt was torn, according to court documents.
Solo was upset because “her husband refused to take her to catch a flight because he was being a jerk.”
The former University of Washington soccer star is married to former Seattle Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens and her legal name is Hope Stevens.
The teen told police that Solo appeared intoxicated when she arrived at her half-sister’s home and the two women continued to drink.
An argument between the teen and Solo ensued when she told the boy that he was “too fat and overweight and crazy to ever be an athlete.” The argument became physical, according to court documents. The boy broke a broom stick over Solo’s head. When the Solo’s sister attempted to break up the fight, Solo allegedly punched her in the face, the documents continue.
The teen allegedly pointed a BB gun at Solo in an attempt to get her to leave. The boy told police Solo “kept circling like a shark.”
Solo was charged with two counts of domestic violence and booked into the south King County detention facility on Saturday morning.
“Hope is not guilty of any crime. In fact, our investigation reveals that Hope was assaulted and injured during this unfortunate incident,” Solo’s defense attorney Todd Maybrown said in a statement. “We look forward to the opportunity to present the true facts in court and to having this matter behind Hope very soon.”
Solo was the goalkeeper for last two U.S. Olympic women’s soccer teams and played for the University of Washington. She also plays for the Seattle Reign of the National Women’s Soccer League and was forced to miss its game in New York on Sunday.
“We are aware of the situation regarding Hope Solo and are currently gathering information,” a Seattle Reign release stated. “We have no further comments at this time.”
This is not the first time that police have been called to an incident involving Solo in Kirkland. Police were called to Solo’s Holmes Point home in November 2012. The police report for the incident stated that an altercation between eight different people took place at the home during a house party and a stun gun was used. Stevens was arrested in the case but was never charged.
Kirkland Reporter editor Matt Phelps contributed to this report.