US soccer star Hope Solo given 30-day sentence, fine for DWI
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Decorated soccer star Hope Solo has been sentenced after pleading guilty to driving while impaired in a vehicle with her young children inside.
Solo was arrested on March 31 and charged with driving while impaired, resisting a public officer, and misdemeanor child abuse, as we reported at the time. Solo had been found passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle for more than an hour, with the engine running and her 2-year-old twins in the back seat.
Nearly four months after her arrest, Solo pleaded guilty to driving while impaired, and the other two charges were voluntarily dismissed, her attorney told the Winston-Salem Journal.
Solo was given a suspended sentence of 24 months and an active sentence of 30 days, as well as 30 days’ credit for time she spent at an in-patient rehabilitation facility, The Associated Press reported. Solo was also ordered to pay $3,100 in fines and lab costs, get a substance abuse assessment and complete recommended treatment.
In a statement posted on Monday to Instagram, Solo said: “It’s been a long road, but I’m slowly coming back from taking time off. I pride myself in motherhood and what my husband and I have done day in and day out for over two years throughout the pandemic with two-year old twins. While I’m proud of us, it was incredibly hard and I made a huge mistake. Easily the worst mistake of my life. I underestimated what a destructive part of my life alcohol had become.”
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Hope Solo is one of the top U.S. soccer stars in recent history, earning two Olympic gold medals as a goalkeeper in Beijing and London in 2008 and 2012, respectively, The New York Times reported. She also won the World Cup in 2015 in Canada.
Solo, whose legal name is Hope Amelia Stevens, previously faced charges of domestic violence and assault in Washington state in 2014 and 2018, which were both dropped, the Winston-Salem Journal reported.
Here are some photos of former soccer star and Olympian Hope Solo through the years.
2003: Goalkeeper Hope Solo of the Philadelphia Charge moves for the ball during the WSU game against the New York Power at Mitchel Athletic Complex on May 17, 2003, in Long Island, New York. The Charge defeated the Power 2-1.
2005: Hope Solo of USA looks on after defeating Iceland in their women’s international friendly match at Home Depot Center on July 24, 2005, in Carson, California. The USA won 3-0.
2006: Members of Team USA (from top left) Christie Welsh #19, Leslie Osbourne #12, Tina Frimpong #8, Aly Wagner #10, Cat Whitehill #4, goalkeeper Hope Solo #18 (from bottom left) Lori Chalupny #17, Carli Lloyd #11, Heather Mitts #2, Heather O’Reilly #9 and Abby Wambach #20 pose for a team photo before the international women’s soccer game held on July 23, 2006, at Torero Stadium in San Diego, California. USA defeated Ireland 5-0.
2007: Goalkeeper Hope Solo of USA makes a save against Korea DPR during the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007 Group B match at the Chengdu Sports Center Stadium on September 11, 2007, in Chengdu, China.
2008: Christie Rampone, Hope Solo and Heather Mitts of the United States pose in the NBC Today Show Studio as part of the Gold Medal winning Women’s Football Team at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008, in Beijing, China.
2010: Hope Solo of the United States calls out to her teammates during the game against Germany on May 22, 2010, at Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.
2011: Hope Solo of USA reacts after conceding their first goal during the Women’s World Cup Quarter Final match between Brazil and USA at Rudolf-Harbig Stadium on July 10, 2011, in Dresden, Germany.
2012: Hope Solo, Lauren Cheney and Abby Wambach of the United States pose with the the gold medal after defeating Japan by a score of 2-1 to win the Women’s Football gold medal match on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wembley Stadium on August 9, 2012, in London.
2013: Pro soccer player and honoree Hope Solo poses backstage with the Female Athlete of the Year award at the 28th Anniversary Sports Spectacular Gala at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on May 19, 2013, in Century City, California.
2014: Goalkeeper Hope Solo of the USA in action during a match between USA and China as part of International Women’s Football Tournament of Brasilia at Mane Garrincha Stadium on December 10, 2014, in Brasilia, Brazil.
2015: Hope Solo and the United States celebrates after winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 5-2 against Japan at BC Place Stadium on July 5, 2015, in Vancouver, Canada.
2016: Hope Solo of the United States looks on during a match against Germany in the 2016 SheBelieves Cup at FAU Stadium on March 9, 2016, in Boca Raton, Florida.
2017: Hope Solo speaks onstage during the Fortune Most Powerful Women Next Gen conference at Monarch Beach Resort on November 14, 2017, in Dana Point, California.
2018: Hope Solo attends The Foundation For Sports Integrity (FFSI) inaugural ‘Sports, Politics and Integrity Conference’ at Four Seasons Hotel on May 31, 2018, in London.
2019: Soccer player Hope Solo, president and editor-in-chief of New York Magazine’s The Cut, Stella Bugbee, actress Aidy Bryant and writer Padma Lakshmi attend The Cut’s How I Get It Done at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge on March 4, 2019, in Brooklyn, New York.
2020: Soccer player Hope Solo sits on stage during "Champion & Activist: An Evening With Hope Solo" at University of New Mexico on January 27, 2020, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
