ASSAULT DEFENSE ATTORNEY

Colorado Springs Assault Defense Attorney

Fight Back Against Your Colorado Springs
Assault Charge

Criminal assault in Colorado does not have to be premeditated. Simply being pulled into a fight at a bar or letting an argument with someone you know get out of hand is enough to land you an assault charge potentially.

If you find yourself accused of assault, do not take the charge lightly. Consequences can be severe, and your best chance at a positive outcome is to get legal support.

That’s where The Law Office of Andrew Bryant comes in. We can help you navigate the criminal justice system with years of experience to help fight for your best interest.

What Does It Mean to Assault Someone in Colorado?

To successfully fight against assault charges, you must first understand what assault is legally. In Colorado, assault is identified as contact made unlawfully with another, resulting in injury to them.

What makes assault charges even more complicated is the fact that they can be treated as a misdemeanor or a felony. The charge you face depends on the severity of the actions and who was involved in the alleged crime.

In our state, there are several degrees of assault a person can be charged with. They include:

• First Degree Assault

  This is the most serious level of assault that can be charged in Colorado. It is defined as one person intentionally causing serious injury to another person by using a deadly weapon.

  In this case, serious injury is defined as an injury that carries the potential for permanent impairment of a body part, disfigurement, or death. This crime is one that the court views as committed with extreme indifference to human life.

  Assault at this level is considered a crime of violence. That means that when you are charged with first-degree assault and convicted, the judge must sentence you at the midpoint of the presumptive sentencing range and cannot exceed twice the maximum.

  That can mean a prison sentence of anywhere from 10 to 32 years if convicted, depending on the circumstances of the case.

• Second Degree Assault

  This degree of assault involves acting intentionally to injure another person. This level of assault is normally charged in cases where a police officer was injured or they were prevented from carrying out their duties.

  Additionally, this level of assault can cover crimes involving giving a substance to another person without first getting their consent, recklessly causing injuries to another person, or intentionally using a deadly weapon in the commission of the crime.

  Just as with first-degree assault, this is considered a crime of violence, and you can face anywhere from five to 12 years in prison for second-degree assault in Colorado.

• Third Degree Assault

  Assault in the third degree occurs when someone negligently, knowingly, or recklessly causes harm to another person with a deadly weapon. It also may qualify as third-degree assault if a person harasses, threatens, or annoys a police officer.

  This level of assault differs from the other two in that it is a misdemeanor but still a crime of extraordinary risk. That translates to a potential jail sentence of anywhere from six to 24 months if found guilty. If the victim was a police officer, at-risk adult, pregnant woman, or first responder, there is a minimum sentence of six months in jail.

Charges Commonly Associated with Assault
in Colorado Springs

Often, those charged with assault are also charged with associated crimes that may have occurred when the assault was perpetrated. This is another reason why securing an experienced Colorado Springs criminal attorney as soon as possible after an arrest is in your best interest.

While any number of charges can be added to an assault case based on how the crime was committed, there are a few that often accompany it:

• Assault with a Deadly Weapon

  This crime is often added to an assault charge when a knife, gun, or object was created to kill or significantly injure another person.

• Vehicular Assault

  If the circumstances surrounding the assault included using a vehicle in addition to a deadly weapon or in place of one, vehicular assault may be charged. In many cases, the prosecutors also add reckless driving to the charges.

• Assaulting a Police Officer

  This can apply to an assault charge when the victim is a police officer or any other protected federal or state employee.

• Aggravated Assault

  This charge is associated with the level of assault perpetrated. It is possible for first- and second-degree assault charges to be labeled as aggravated assault, depending on the details of the crime.

• Crime of Passion

  This charge is associated if the assault took place as a form of revenge on, for example, your spouse for cheating. It could significantly increase how a person is charged with an assault crime. The level of assault perpetrated. It is possible for first- and second-degree assault charges to be labeled as aggravated assault, depending on the details of the crime.

• Battery or Menacing

  In the state of Colorado, menacing is used in place of what many other states may refer to as a battery. This occurs when someone puts another person in fear of being injured or shows them something to make the victim think they have a deadly weapon.

• Domestic Assault

  When an assault is perpetrated against a family member or a member of your household, it is considered domestic assault.

• Harassment

  Taking actions such as shoving, kicking, stalking, threatening, hitting, or touching another without consent is considered harassment. This can be a complicated charge because it is not something that must occur in person. It can be committed through social media, over the phone, or even via email.