This image was lost some time after publication.

If you were a filmmaker involved in a barroom brawl that resulted in your being arrested on third-degree assault and fourth-degree sexual assault charges, you really couldn't have wished for a better weekend for such embarrassing shenanigans to occur. While Mel Gibson distracted the media with his tequila-enabled thoughts on sugar-titted law enforcement officials (and that somewhat less quotable stuff about Jews and wars) , The House of Sand and Fog director Vadim Perelman found himself accused of alcohol-fueled fisticuffs and unwelcome assgrabbery in Norwalk, Connecticut. Reports Greenwich Time The Advocate, Norwalk Edition:

Perelman allegedly grabbed two women's buttocks and punched one of them in the face at Rain Ultralounge & Sushi Bar, 112 Washington St., according to police. He was arrested early last Saturday and released on $5,000 bond for a court appearance next week.

Perelman's attorney, Paul Callan of Manhattan, yesterday said he had not seen official court documents about the allegations, but that the case involves "minor, misdemeanor charges" stemming from a barroom scuffle.

Perelman intends to plead not guilty and looks forward to being exonerated, his attorney said.

"Vadim adamantly denies being involved in any kind of a sexual assault," Callan said. "My understanding is . . . there were a large number of people crowded together . . . so it was a confusing situation involving a barroom scuffle, and there was never any intent by Vadim to touch anyone inappropriately."

The story has more details on how the "scuffle" unfolded, but it seems like any bar fight so ugly that a director accidentally punches an underage girl in the face and unintentionally winds up touching a pair of asses really could have benefited from the involvement of an experienced stunt coordinator. We're sure Perelman's next brawl with the Connecticut locals will be a more elegantly choreographed affair, not another amateurish, chaotic blur of flying fists and randomly grabby hands.