Oscar-winning writer and director Paul Haggis has been arrested in Italy on charges of sexual assault and aggravated personal injury.
According to Variety and Italian newspapers La Repubblica and Corriere della Serra, the filmmaker stands accused of sexually assaulting a young, non-Italian woman who has pressed charges. Representatives for Haggis did not immediately respond Sunday to the Los Angeles Times’ request for comment.
Haggis — best known for co-writing and directing the 2006 best-picture winner “Crash” — was arrested Sunday in the southern Italian city of Ostuni, where he is accused of sexually assaulting the woman over the course of two days while in town for an entertainment industry event, reported Variety, which cited Italian press coverage and a note from the public prosecutor of the nearby city of Brindisi.