Kiefer Sutherland is going to surrender himself to New York authorities a few weeks from now, all stemming from “a minor assault charge” lodged against him for headbutting Proenza Schouler designer Jack McCollough. Even though I want to think well of Kiefer for sort-of defending the honor of a lady (Brooke Shields), he must have some serious issues. Brooke even sides with McCollough, because she had her representatives tell TMZ that she was jostled, but nothing happened. Ah, it seems the fair damsel in distress didn’t really mind when her martini was shaken.

Kiefer’s friends are still trying to make excuses, though. An unnamed friend tells the New York Daily News that though Kiefer feels strongly that he was “provoked”, Kiefer is totally sorry, and thinks the incident was “regrettable”:

Kiefer Sutherland will surrender to prosecutors in several weeks and face only a minor assault charge for headbutting a fashion designer at a party, a law enforcement source told the Daily News.

Sutherland, who spent Wednesday holed up in his girlfriend’s Manhattan apartment, will face only a third-degree assault charge for the bizarre assault on designer Jack McCollough, sources said.

And the actor will simply be issued a desk appearance ticket for the misdemeanor – meaning he won’t be jailed and will be free to travel before his arraignment date.

A friend told the News that Sutherland – who seemed to be channelling his “24” alter ego Jack Bauer when he slammed his head into McCollough’s at a Soho nightspot – felt bad about the strange display.

“Kiefer is sorry it happened. Absolutely. It’s terribly regrettable,” said the friend.

Still, the friend insisted Sutherland lashed out inside SubMercer because McCollough, a designer for Proenza Schouler, bumped into actress Brooke Shields.

“Kiefer was provoked. The gentleman bumped into Brooke Shields and didn’t apologize,” the friend said.

Sutherland’s attorneys are expected to contact McCollough’s lawyers and hammer out a cash settlement.

Sporting a fresh cut across the bridge of his nose and shielding his eyes with Oakley sunglasses, McCollough told the Daily News this morning outside his West Village apartment that he’s “doing fine.”

McCollough’s representatives are resolute that the head smacking at an after-party for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute gala was unprompted, telling People, “Anyone who knows Jack McCollough knows that he would not hurt a fly.”

“All we can say at this point is that he was the victim of a vicious, violent, unprovoked assault and that the matter is in the hands of the authorities.”

Shields’ is apparently siding with McCollough, with her reps telling TMZ that she was jostled but “nothing happened to her.”

When Sutherland is formally charged in New York, it could violate the conditions of his probation for a 2007 drunken driving charge in Los Angeles – and potentially send him back to jail.

The actor was put on five years probation after serving 48 days in jail for driving under the influence in 2007. He was on probation for a 2004 drunken driving charge at the time.

“There is an ongoing investigation, and we’ll wait until that is concluded,” said Frank Mateljan, spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office.

“We would need to see the specific facts of what happened before we make a determination as to whether or not probation has been violated.”

[From The New York Daily News]

McCollough’s people are talking directly to People Magazine, and they sound pissed. In addition to the “he would not hurt a fly” argument (which I believe, the guy looks like a stiff wind would blow him over), Jack’s reps say: “All we can say at this point is that he was the victim of a vicious, violent, unprovoked assault and that the matter is in the hands of the authorities.”

There’s even consternation about exactly how the headbutting went down. One of McCollough’s people also tells People Magazine: “Jack walked into the party and tried to order a drink, and then the next thing he knew, he got headbutted for no identifiable reason… Jack did nothing other than walk into a party. He did not bump into Brooke. It’s just puzzling.” Ah, yes. But Kiefer sensed that there was a damsel in distress, you see. Thus, headbutting.