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November 27, 2024
Colorado Assault in the Second Degree: What Are Your Defenses?
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Posted by: Jacob E. Martinez
Category: Assault
When people think of assault, they often think of bar fights or muggings, but the truth is that many different scenarios can be defined as assault under the law.
A recent story out of Colorado Springs highlights this fact. A woman has been accused of deliberately striking and injuring a pedestrian with her car. Police are charging the driver with first-degree assault, as well as felony criminal mischief and reckless driving.
One way to avoid this charge is to understand what constitutes assault under the law. Also, it’s helpful to understand what could happen if you are ever charged and convicted with assault in Colorado. Here’s what you need to know.
Colorado legally defines assault as causing bodily injury to someone unlawfully. In most cases, assault involves actions such as slapping, hitting, pushing, punching, shoving, strangling, shooting, kicking, stabbing, or throwing objects at a person.
Colorado has different degrees of assault. The degree of charges you might face can depend on several factors, such as:
If a person intentionally uses a deadly weapon to cause injury to another, disfigures someone permanently, or disables the function of an organ, then they can be charged with first-degree assault.
This level of assault can be charged if someone intentionally or recklessly causes bodily harm to another with a weapon or deadly weapon, causes bodily injury intentionally, or drugs another intentionally without their consent.
Third-degree assault can be charged if someone recklessly or knowingly causes bodily injury to another. It can also be charged if a person acts with criminal negligence and causes bodily injury through the use of a deadly weapon.
Another way to acquire this charge: if you cause an official, like a police officer, to come into contact with a toxic substance or bodily fluids with the intent to threaten or harass them.
There are separate penalties for each degree of assault in Colorado. They are:
This is a Class 3 felony in the state. It’s also considered a crime of violence. That means the penalties for this level of assault are quite severe, with someone facing up to 32 years in prison and fines of as much as $750,000 if convicted.
As a Class 4 felony, anyone convicted of second-degree assault faces as many as six years in prison and fines of as much as $500,000. However, the prison sentence can increase to 16 years if a deadly weapon was used or if the incident caused serious bodily injury.
This level of assault is charged as a Class 1 misdemeanor. It’s a crime that is considered one of extraordinary risk, which means you can still spend up to two years in jail and pay fines of $5,000 if convicted.
Assault is a serious crime with serious penalties. If you are charged with it, make sure you understand the charges against you as well as your rights in the situation.
About the Author:
Denver-based criminal defense and DUI attorney Jacob E. Martinez is a knowledgeable and experienced litigator with a record of success providing innovative solutions to clients facing criminal charges of any severity. Mr. Martinez has been recognized by countless legal organizations for his exemplary defense work, including Avvo, Best DWI Attorneys, Expertise, Lawyers of Distinction, The National Trial Lawyers, and others. He was also named one of the 10 Best in Client Satisfaction in Colorado by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys for 2020, and is Lead Counsel rated.
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Arapahoe 1st Degree Assault/Vehicular Assault
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Denver Domestic Violence Assault Case
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Denver D.V. Assault
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Denver Careless Driving Resulting in Death
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Jefferson County Felony Menacing
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Adams County DUI
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Jefferson County DUI
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Jefferson County DUI
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Jefferson Vehicular Assault/DUI
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Jefferson County DUI
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Boulder County DUI case
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Arapahoe County DUI case
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Adams County DUI case
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Douglas County DUI case
Jury Trial - Not Guilty
Gilpin County DUI case
Dismissed
Broomfield County Probation Revocation case
Dismissal
Arapahoe County DUI case
Deferred Judgment
Arapahoe County DUI case
Deferred Judgment
Douglas County DUI case
Deferred Judgment
Larimer County DUI case
Deferred Judgment
Arapahoe County DUI Case
Deferred Judgment
Denver Felony Burglary Case
Deferred Judgment
Arapahoe County DUI case
Dismissed
Arapahoe County Protection Order Case
Dismissed
Golden Destruction of Property case
Dismissed
Jefferson County Protection Order case
Dismissed
Jefferson County Domestic Violence case
Dismissed and Sealed
Jefferson County DUI case
Dismissed
Denver Major Traffic Offense case
Dismissed and Sealed
Broomfield County Domestic Violence case
Dismissed
Summit County DUI Revocation
Dismissed
Denver DUI Revocation
Dismissed
Denver DUI Revocation
Dismissed
Denver DUI +.2 Involving Accident and Injury case
Dismissed
Denver DUI/Habitual Traffic Offender case
DISMISSAL
Denver District Aggravated Theft
Dismissed
Greenwood Village Assault case
Dismissal
Elbert County DUI
Dismissed
Arapahoe County Domestic Violence case
Dismissal
Jefferson County DUI
Dismissal
Denver Municipal Assault
Dismissed
Boulder County Domestic Violence Assault case
Dismissed
Wheat Ridge Assault case
Dismissed
Jefferson County DUI case, with 2+ Prior Convictions
Dismissed
Arapahoe County Domestic Violence case
Dismissed
Broomfield County Domestic Violence case
Dismissed with No Charges Filed
Jefferson County Felony Theft case
Dismissed
Arapahoe County Felony Theft case
Dismissed
Boulder County Felony Theft case