A jury last week sided with a South Lake Tahoe police officer who was accused of acting improperly when he arrested a suspect in 2011.

The two-day trial in federal court in Sacramento concluded with Officer Jake Herminghaus being exonerated.

Herminghaus arrested Patrick Solomon of South Lake Tahoe on Jan. 21, 2011, at the Raley’s at the Y in South Lake Tahoe after he allegedly shoved El Dorado County sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Pena. Solomon received minor lacerations to his head and was transported by ambulance to Barton Memorial Hospital for treatment after Herminghaus wrestled him to the ground.

“We are definitely delighted with the outcome and it vindicates the city’s position of cases being tried on their merits. This also clearly shows our police department is operating within the law and gratifying that a federal jury recognized that,” City Attorney Tom Watson was in a statement.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report