Ugly details of Hope Solo's arrest come out in report before U.S. opener

WINNIPEG – Hope Solo's checkered personal life came under further scrutiny on Sunday, sparking a fresh wave of controversy surrounding the United States goalkeeper just a day before the start of the team's Women's World Cup campaign.

Solo was the subject of an ESPN/Outside The Lines report that claimed she was belligerent and used profane language towards police, threatened to attack officers and taunted them about her wealth during an arrest on domestic violence charges in June 2014.

While the case was dismissed on procedural grounds, Solo has not been cleared, according to ESPN. Prosecutors have filed a rare appeal with the Superior Court of Washington and are scheduled to file their argument by July 13.

"(Solo) repeatedly hurled insults at the officers processing her arrest, suggesting that two jailers were having sex and calling another officer a '14-year-old boy,'" the report said. "When asked to remove a necklace, an apparently drunk Solo told the officer that the piece of jewelry was worth more than he made in a year."

While the latest controversy addresses alleged behavior from nearly a year ago, it will only enhance the perception that Solo may be a disruptive influence on the squad, despite being one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in world soccer.

Head coach Jill Ellis denied that was the case.

"No, Hope's been fantastic," Ellis said at a news conference Sunday evening. "(The incident) was a long time ago. We've moved on. She's been a fantastic player and teammate. None of that has even resonated with us, and I'm sure some of the players aren't even aware of it."

Ellis said she had not read the ESPN story or watched the video report and was informed of the news by her press officer.

Carli Lloyd, who is expected to captain the team against Australia on Monday, is Solo's long-time roommate on national team duty. "We are roommates right now," Lloyd said. "Honestly, I didn't discuss it with her for one second."

USA TODAY Sports requested through U.S. Soccer that Solo be made available in the interview area to answer questions regarding the situation. However, she did not appear before boarding the team bus.

Veteran forward Abby Wambach insisted the Solo saga had barely been noticed within the team. "You would be surprised at how normal life is," Wambach said.

"This is going to be a spectacular event and for me, I am going to talk about all positives – no matter what happens throughout this tournament."

However, external opinion may prove to be less forgiving.

"Hope is incredibly lucky to be on this World Cup team," former national team star Brandi Chastain, who scored the winning penalty kick in the 1999 World Cup final, told USA TODAY Sports recently. "I hope she recognizes how incredibly lucky she is.''

U.S. Soccer declined to comment publicly on the matter early Sunday afternoon.

The U.S. women's team is widely popular around the country and has an overwhelmingly positive image. Solo is the primary exception.

In March, Solo was riding in a Team USA van near Los Angeles while her husband, Jerramy Stevens, was drunk and behind the wheel, when police pulled them over at 1:49 a.m. Solo was suspended from the team for 30 days for the latest in a series of troubling incidents.

In November 2012, police reported they found booze and traces of marijuana at Solo's house in Kirkland, Wash., when police arrived at a party the night before Solo's wedding to Stevens, a former NFL player. According to a police report, Solo instructed the partygoers not to cooperate with police. Stevens was arrested on charges of domestic violence because police suspected Solo and Stevens had been in a fight. Charges were dropped.

In the June 2014 incident, Solo was arrested on charges of domestic violence after allegedly assaulting her older half-sister, Teresa Obert, and Obert's 17-year-old son at their house.

Yet Solo is not without her supporters. She is still idolized by young girls, and was a key part of the American team's publicity drive ahead of the World Cup.

"She's worked so hard to create an amazing life for herself,'' said Amy Griffin, an assistant coach at the University of Washington who formerly worked with Solo on developing her game during college. "It just hurts me when she makes a poor choice to take a few steps backwards and head back to maybe where she came from.''

Solo has carefully selected the interviews she has given in the build-up to the World Cup, and attempted to paint herself as the "victim" in the June 2014 incident.

That public relations policy appears to have backfired. According to the ESPN story, Obert said that an interview Solo gave on Good Morning America was what prompted her to speak out and give further details on events that night and the pair's troubled relationship.

A restraining order is in place preventing Solo from coming near Obert or her son, now 18.

With the World Cup opener approaching it is highly unlikely that Ellis would consider removing Solo from the starting lineup against Australia in Winnipeg on Monday.

Backups Ashlyn Harris and Alyssa Naeher have limited experience at international level and Australia, ranked 10th in the world, eight spots behind the U.S., cannot be taken lightly.

Solo has a history of being in the headlines around World Cup time. Her notoriety was never higher than in 2007, when she launched into a rant criticizing the decision to drop her for the World Cup semifinal in favor of Briana Scurry. The U.S. had lost 4-0 to Brazil, and Solo was sent home and suspended from the team for her comments, stating "there is no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves."

USA TODAY Sports' Josh Peter contributed to this report.