Emile Hirsch has been arrested and charged with "with third-degree felony aggravated assault and class C misdemeanor intoxication" after an incident occurred at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Allegedly, HIrsch choked a woman in a bar while under the influence of alcohol. These crimes are punishable with a sentence of up to five years in prison.
Here's what (allegedl) happened. Hirsch was hanging out at the Tao nightclub in Park City, Utah. He had had multiple drinks already. At that point, he confronted a woman in the club, asking her why she thought she was "so tought" and telling her off as a "rich kid" who didn't deserve to be at Sundance."
This wasn't an ordinary woman, however- she was actually Dani Bernfield, an executive at Paramount Pictures. After Hirsch confronted her, Bernfield ignored him and tried to move to a different part of the bar. But Hirsch did not respond well to that and attacked Bernfield from behind, getting her in a chokehold and dragging her across the floor of the bar.
Eventually two other bargoers grabbed Hirsch and yanked him off of Bernfield, at which point the police arrived. According to some witness, Bernfield may have blacked out during the incendent, and was reported to have said "The front of my throat hit the back of my throat... I couldn't breathe."
When the cops showed up, Hirsch had an excuse for his violent actions. Apparently, he told the police that he had only had three or four drinks, did not know Bernfield, and was engaged in a "verbal confrontation," and nothing more. However, the cops noticed that his eyes were red, he was slurring his speech and wobbling from side to side as he struggled to keep his balance- which may indicate that the former "Speed Racer" actor had consumed more than just three or four. Either way, things aren't looking so hot for Hirsch right now.
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