Bokyung Cho, a Penn State graduate assistant accused of spousal battery, waived his right to a preliminary hearing yesterday at the Centre County Courthouse.

Cho (graduate-curriculum and education), of the 1400 block of Martin Street, also applied for a probationary two-year Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition (ARD).

ARD is intended to eliminate costly court proceedings by allowing records to be cleared after satisfactory completion of a rehabilitative program.

Cho is charged with driving under the influence, simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment in connection with an incident on Saturday. Police responded to a call from a motorist about a woman standing in the road with her baby, screaming for help and waving for other drivers to stop.

When police arrived, the woman said her husband had tried to kill her, according to a police report.

Cho approached officers with his hands in the air saying, "I am a bad husband," police said.

Cho smelled of alcohol, slurred his speech and had bloodshot eyes, according to the police report. He pretended to understand minimal English, but later told police he was an English instructor and his comprehension improved.

The report also said Cho had been repeatedly punching his wife in the face while he was driving on Waupelani Drive.

The wife tried to exit the moving vehicle because she said the beating was becoming severe.

It is not clear whether Cho let his wife out of the vehicle or if she exited herself while the car was moving.

The wife, who suffered facial swelling and a bloody mouth, was transported to Centre Community Hospital with her infant son who had been in the back seat during the incident.

Cho posted $20,000 straight bail after being arraigned on assault charges Saturday.