CHARLOTTE, NC — A former police sergeant with the Hickory Police Department was indicted by a federal grand jury Monday, charged with using excessive force after he slammed a woman's face into the ground while trying to arrest her.

The grand jury also indicted Robert George, 45, on obstructing justice charges and lying in a police report about the matter, according to a Department of Justice statement.

"The indictment alleges that on Nov. 11, 2013, George assaulted a female victim, identified in the indictment by the initials C.D., by slamming her face-first to the ground, causing her to suffer bodily injury," DOJ said. "The following day, George allegedly wrote a false police report to cover up the offense."