Ogden » The former police officer credited with saving lives in the Trolley Square shootings appeared in court Tuesday on charges he had sex with a teenager.

It was Ken Hammond's first time in court since being charged last month with unlawful sex with a 16- or 17-year-old.

Hammond, 35, did not enter a plea, and no trial date was set. Hammond, who walked into court flanked by his wife and attorney, is free without bail. Second District Court Judge Pamela Heffernan set a preliminary hearing for March 2, where the alleged victim in the case is expected to testify.

Hammond and his attorney, Brenda Beaton, declined to comment after Tuesday's hearing. Court documents allege Hammond had oral or anal sex with a 16- or 17-year-old girl on July 12, 2005. The unlawful sex charge is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Hammond resigned from the Ogden Police Department earlier this month amid an internal investigation into the unlawful sex allegations and a separate civil lawsuit in which a woman alleges Hammond used unnecessary force and sexually harassed her.

On Feb. 12, 2007, Hammond left a Valentine's Day dinner with his wife in the mall to intercept shooter Sulejman Talovic. Talovic killed five people and wounded four, but Hammond is credited with preventing Talovic from shooting more people before SWAT team members killed the gunman.