Air Force colonel charged with assault

ARLINGTON, Va – Arlington County prosecutors have indicted the former chief of the Air Force's sexual assault prevention office on an assault and battery charge stemming from an incident outside a Crystal City bar.

The indictment Monday, reported by The Washington Post, against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski was expected. Last month, prosecutors dropped a sexual battery charge and said they planned to bring generic assault charges.

Krusinski was arrested in May after police said a woman accused him of groping her.

When she dropped the sexual battery charge, Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos said a generic assault charge was more appropriate given the level of proof required for a sexual battery conviction.

Krusinski's arrest brought attention to what critics say has been an epidemic of sexual assaults in the military.