Paul Haggis is facing new allegations of sexual assault.
On June 19, the Oscar-winning Crash director was detained in the southern Italian town of Ostuni on charges of sexual assault and aggravated personal injury, according to multiple outlets, including Variety and Italian newspaper Corriere de la Sera.
“Under Italian Law, I cannot discuss the evidence,” Haggis’ longtime personal attorney Priya Chaudhry said in a statement to Variety. “That said, I am confident that all allegations will be dismissed against Mr. Haggis. He is totally innocent and willing to fully cooperate with the authorities so the truth comes out quickly.”
Corriere della Sera reported that the public prosecutor of the Brindisi province gave a statement that Haggis, 69, allegedly forced a young “foreign” woman to have sex over a two-day course in Ostuni, then accompanied her to an airport and left her there at dawn. Airport staff and police administered first aid to the alleged victim and transported her to a hospital, where Italy’s “pink protocol” for rape victims was carried out, according to the statement. She subsequently filed formal charges against Haggis.