ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

FORT HOOD, Texas--The Virginian accused of ordering soldiers to force two Iraqis into the Tigris River at gunpoint pleaded guilty yesterday to two assault charges, obstruction of justice and dereliction of duty.

Army 1st Lt. Jack Saville, a 1998 graduate of Spotsylvania High who was a star wrestler at the school, could face up to nine years in military prison under the plea deals. His father, Thomas M. Saville, was Spotsylvania High's principal from 1996 to 1999; he is now superintendent of Essex County schools.

Jack Saville pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, making a false statement and involuntary manslaughter in the Tigris River case and not guilty to an aggravated assault charge involving an earlier case in Balad, Iraq.

Platoon leader Saville, a 25-year-old West Point graduate whose family lives in Tappahannock, was accused of ordering troops to push two curfew violators into the river near Samarra in early 2004. The government says that resulted in the drowning death of Zaidoun Hassoun, 19, who was forced into the river with his cousin, Marwan Hassoun.

But defense lawyers contend Zaidoun is still alive, and in December a judge granted a defense request to have the body exhumed to determine identification and cause of death. It's unclear if that exhumation has happened.

Saville pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on Zaidoun and assault by battery on Marwan.

The obstruction of justice charge was for concocting a lie that they had left the two Iraqis along the road instead of forcing them into the river.

The dereliction of duty charge, which was added Friday, is for not challenging an illegal order by a superior to kill Iraqis suspected of being involved in an attack that killed an American soldier.

Saville told the court-martial that he received the illegal order from Capt. Matthew Cunningham. Cunningham was one of three commanders linked to the drowning case who were given nonjudicial punishments for allegedly conspiring to impede a homicide investigation. The Army said those punishments did not include jail time.

The Balad incident involves an Iraqi detained from an automotive store and thrown in the river.

It wasn't immediately clear how the pleas would affect the remaining charges. Saville has requested a trial by the judge, Col. Theodore Dixon.