Hayden Panettiere's Father Charged with Misdemeanor Battery

By Ken Lee

09/25/2008 at 07:30 PM EDT

Hayden Panettiere's father, Alan, has been formally charged with misdemeanor battery after he allegedly assaulted his wife last month, the L.A. County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday.

Panettiere, 49, faces arraignment in October. If convicted, he faces up to a year in county jail.

Alan Panettiere was arrested Aug. 11 at the family's West Hollywood home after he "struck his wife (Lesley Vogel) one or two times on the cheek causing bruising with a closed fist," a sheriff's spokesman said.

The couple had returned from a charity event hosted by their daughter.

Another sheriff's official confirmed that alcohol was involved.

Shortly after he was released on bail, Alan Panettiere told Extra the incident was a "misunderstanding" and that "nothing actually happened."

And daughter Hayden, 19, downplayed the incident, saying, "It was blown way out of proportion by a sheriff who wanted his 15 minutes of fame."

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