(Salt Lake City, UT) — A Salt Lake City police officer has been ordered to stand trial on charges he told a police K-9 to attack a man who was already beginning to kneel before police. The officer — 41-year-old Nickolas John Pearce — faces charges of aggravated assault in the domestic violence incident that occurred two years ago. In a hearing yesterday, Judge William Kendall said he decided to proceed to trial in the case. Pearce pleaded not guilty to the charges. At a previous hearing, Jeffrey Ryans testified he was cooperating with officers and that he was surprised when the dog attacked him.