Director Tarantino Charged With Assault

NEW YORK — Film director Quentin Tarantino, who is being sued by a fashion stylist after allegedly slugging her in a brawl, now faces criminal charges in the case, police said Thursday.

Tarantino surrendered to police in New York’s East Village and was charged with assault. He will appear at a later date before a judge in Manhattan Criminal Court, where he will be formally arraigned. If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail.

Leila Mwangi, 25, filed a civil lawsuit last month in Manhattan Supreme Court alleging Tarantino hit her May 2 with a blow intended for her boyfriend, Barron Clairborne, at an East Village restaurant.

The civil suit seeks $5 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages.