Grand jury indicts Johnny Manziel on misdemeanor assault charge

— -- Embattled quarterback Johnny Manziel has been indicted by a Dallas County grand jury on a misdemeanor assault charge, Dallas' ABC News 8 and CBS Dallas/Fort Worth reported, citing sources.

The formal announcement is expected to come Monday. Manziel's case was heard by a grand jury on Thursday.

Manziel, a former Cleveland Browns quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner at  Texas A&M, is accused of hitting his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, so hard that she temporarily lost hearing in one ear.

Crowley requested and was granted a protective order against the 23-year-old quarterback that prevents him from seeing her for two years.

Crowley said she and Manziel had a confrontation in a Dallas hotel room, which continued downstairs at the valet station. She said he forced her into a car, and a valet ignored her pleas for help. The two drove to where her car was parked in front of a Dallas bar, she said in an affidavit. She accused Manziel of getting into the driver's seat and beginning to drive. She said that when she tried to jump out of the car, Manziel stopped, dragged her back into the car and hit her.

Police said they have spoken to Crowley, interviewed several other witnesses and reviewed medical records. But they did not arrest Manziel and instead took the unusual step of asking the district attorney's office to present the case to a grand jury. Typically, the local grand jury hears only felony cases, according to ABC News 8.

A misdemeanor assault case carries a maximum punishment of one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

Manziel was cut by the Browns in March after two tumultuous seasons marked by inconsistent play and off-the-field headlines about his partying and drinking, including one stint in rehab. His future in the NFL is uncertain and might be nonexistent unless he undergoes the second stint in treatment that two agents demanded before cutting ties with him. 

In a statement to ESPN and other media last week, Manziel said, "I'm hoping to take care of the issues in front of me right now, so I can focus on what I have to do if I want to play in 2016. I also continue to be thankful to those who really know me and support me."

Manziel didn't have much impact during the little time he spent on the field for the Browns the past two seasons. He passed for 1,675 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions in 14 games.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.