KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — An airman with the 86th Maintenance Squadron at Ramstein Air Base is awaiting the results of an Article 32 hearing that could lead to his being tried in the death of an American after what German police say was a bar fight in Landstuhl on New Year’s Eve.

Airman 1st Class Franklin N. Lucas was charged earlier this month with involuntary manslaughter and, for a separate incident that occurred in October, assault consummated by battery, Air Force officials at Ramstein announced in a news release late Friday afternoon.

The Article 32, the military equivalent of a civilian grand jury proceeding, was held two days last week, according to the news release. The findings will be used to determine whether the case against Lucas should proceed to a court-martial.

A Kaiserslautern police spokesman said in January that a 35-year-old American fell on his head after Lucas beat him up. The man, whom police did not identify, said he was fine when police arrived, the spokesman said, but his condition later deteriorated and he died.

The Air Force has identified the alleged victim as Christopher Matyszyk.

No information was available on the assault charge.

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