A Big Island man who caused a 2006 car crash that killed two women has been indicted for allegedly assaulting a corrections officer at the Hilo jail.

A Big Island grand jury indicted Vernon Costa, 43, on a charge of second-degree assault for allegedly injuring the officer on Sept. 29, 2007.

A prison spokeswoman said Costa allegedly head-butted the corrections officer, a 26-year veteran of the department, as the officer was trying to restrain Costa at the Hawai'i Community Correctional Center in Hilo.

Pua Lei Santa-Isabel, 26, and Casey Ann Swain, 35, were killed July 16, 2006, when the car they were in ran off a Big Island highway in Kona as it was being chased by Costa.

Police initially charged Costa with murder, alleging Costa used a pickup truck to run the car off the road because it was also carrying his former girlfriend, Janelle Nardin.

Nardin survived the crash, and Costa later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He is being held in a prison in Arizona.