SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 17 (UPI) — Actor Emile Hirsch pleaded guilty Monday to assaulting a film executive at the Sundance Film Festival in January and must serve 15 days in jail as part of his plea agreement.
The Into the Wild actor agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor assault in exchange for the 15-day jail term and serving 50 hours of community service in Salt Lake City, TMZ reported. He must also pay a $4,750 fine, the BBC reported.
The plea deal stems from an incident in January in which Insurge Pictures executive Daniele Bernfeld says Hirsch put her into a chokehold while the two were at a nightclub in Park City, Utah. Court documents indicate Hirsch pulled her across a table and onto the floor where he wrapped his arms around her neck.
Bernfeld said her vision began to go dark and she may have temporarily blacked out.
Hirsch was arrested that morning after bystanders allegedly pulled him off Bernfeld. Witnesses said he appeared intoxicated and had asked Bernfeld why she looked “so tough” and called her a “rich kid.”
He was charged with third-degree aggravated assault and intoxication, a misdemeanor.
Hirsch’s lawyer, Robert Hilder, said his client had been sober since the incident and had expressed remorse a number of times.
The actor was attending the film festival to promote his new movie, Ten Thousand Saints.
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