PORTLAND, Ore. - A Portland police officer fired from the bureau after a deadly shooting has been reinstated following a review of the case by an arbitration judge.

Lt. Jeffrey Kaer was fired by Mayor Tom Potter after he shot and killed Dennis Young in January of 2006. Lt. Kaer will receive back pay for the time he was off the force. The financial amount was not disclosed.

The incident started when Lt. Kaer's sister called him because she noticed a suspicious car parked in front of her house. Her son had recently been shot in a road rage incident.

Lt. Kaer went to the scene without informing police dispatchers of his actions.

When Lt. Kaer arrived at the scene and approached the vehicle, he found a man asleep behind the wheel and called for backup.

After tapping on the driver's side window and getting no response, Kaer opened the door and shook the driver to try to wake him up, a Portland police spokesman said at the time.

The suspect reportedly became combative and gunned the accelerator. The car drove into a tree and police said Dennis Young then placed the car in reverse and drove backwards towards Kaer and another officer.

Police said Kaer fired two shots. An autopsy found Young died of a single wound to the upper torso. The second bullet hit the car.

Lt. Kaer was cleared in the shooting by a grand jury and police review board. Mayor Potter said Lt. Kaer made "questionable choices" that led to the death of Young and fired him. The case then went to arbitration.

At the time, then-police chief Derrick Foxworth recommended a four-week suspension for Lt. Kaer.

On Wednesday, an arbitration judge said Portland Mayor Tom Potter was wrong to fire Lt. Kaer.

Mayor Potter expressed disappointment and said he did not agree with the ruling.

Portland police Commander Mike Reese, representing the Portland Commanding Officers Association said the arbiters came to right decision and blamed Young's death on his own actions.

Kaer will be reinstated at his previous rank of Lieutenant.

Kaer's wife told KATU News the he was happy about the decision and that all he ever wanted to be was a police officer.