Kiefer Sutherland is once again finding himself on the wrong side of the law in real life — and his newest troubles are likely to last far longer than 24 hours. TMZ is reporting that the "24" star will be charged with misdemeanor assault this week, in connection with a head-butting incident that occurred Monday.

Sutherland's bizarre encounter might have started as a somewhat noble gesture, the type that would make Jack Bauer proud. Attending a Costume Institute Gala afterparty in New York's SubMercer bar on Monday evening, Sutherland reportedly witnessed a designer named Jack McCullough knocking over Brooke Shields. When the actor asked the Proenza Schouler designer to apologize and was pushed in return, Sutherland allegedly responded with a head-butt that broke McCullough's nose.

Mary-Kate Olsen and Kirsten Dunst were among the many stars said to be looking on when the confrontation took place — and Shields' reps deny that McCollough did anything inappropriate, according to the U.K.'s Daily Mail.

Regardless of the circumstances behind it, Sutherland is now being charged with assault. The veteran actor is expected to turn himself in to the NYPD soon, in exchange for a desk-appearance ticket and an arraignment date.

The actor is currently on probation in Los Angeles for a DUI, and a rep for the city attorney's office is planning to contact the NYPD to see if he has violated the conditions of his sentence. The troubled actor, who has starred in such films as "The Lost Boys" and "Phone Booth," served 48 days in jail in 2007 for those drunk-driving charges, an incident exacerbated by the fact that he had also failed a field sobriety test in 2004.