Soccer fans in North Carolina have likely heard of Hope Solo. The star soccer player is the former goalkeeper for the U.S. women’s national team. Although a decidedly talented athlete, she has had her share of controversy throughout her soccer career. Now, she is facing a serious situation after having been arrested in Winston-Salem on suspicion of DUI.
Arrest details
The arrest happened sometime on Thursday, March 31. Reportedly, a passerby noticed a woman passed out in her car with the engine still running. Solo had apparently been that way for more than an hour, and she had one of her 2-year-old twins in the car with her.
Officials responded to the call and apparently found Solo still asleep in the car. Officials could reportedly smell alcohol on her, but she is said to have refused a standard field sobriety test. Instead, her blood was drawn, and she was charged with driving while impaired, misdemeanor child abuse and resisting a public officer. She was released and has a court date on June 28.
A controversial figure
Solo has had a career marred with controversy. In one instance, she received a 30-day suspension from competing when she and her husband were stopped by police in a van owned by U.S. Soccer. Her husband was charged with DUI during the stop. As far as the current charges against her, Solo has the option of mounting a criminal defense, and she apparently has retained a lawyer in Texas to represent her. Likewise, anyone else charged with DUI in North Carolina should retain the services of an experience criminal defense attorney to help them obtain the most favorable outcome possible.