{"id":15804,"date":"2019-06-07T14:20:23","date_gmt":"2019-06-07T21:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/?p=15804"},"modified":"2024-09-20T10:15:03","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T17:15:03","slug":"ars-13-1201-reckless-endangerment-arizona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/blog\/ars-13-1201-reckless-endangerment-arizona\/","title":{"rendered":"ARS 13-1201: What Qualifies as Reckless Endangerment in Arizona?"},"content":{"rendered":"
In Arizona, you commit endangerment if you recklessly endanger someone with a high risk of physical injury or imminent<\/a> (certain or impending) death. This can mean anything from driving under the influence to handling weapons in a careless way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Endangerment can come with serious consequences, from fines and a permanent mark on your record, to prison time in serious cases. If someone has accused you of this offense, it\u2019s best to know the rules surrounding it to get the best outcome.<\/p>\n In order to receive a conviction for endangerment, the defendant must have intended to perform the action leading to the charge. They must have known (or had reason to know) of the risks involved in what they did. Their behavior needs to have gone beyond accidental or negligent<\/a> conduct, causing an unreasonable risk or harm to another person.<\/p>\n The law considers endangerment similar to assault, and the two often overlap. To better understand these charges, let\u2019s look closer at each of them:<\/p>\n You can receive a charge or conviction for assault even if you haven\u2019t physically injured another person. Contrary to what some believe, you don\u2019t have to actually touch someone to receive a charge for assault. Assault simply refers to an intentional attempt to injure or threaten someone.<\/p>\n To receive an assault conviction, there must be proof that you intentionally or knowingly injured or tried to injure someone. This means you placed them in risk of physical harm, or touched them with the intention to provoke, insult, or cause injury. Assault charges often come with an endangerment charge.<\/p>\n Unlike assault, which involves intent, endangerment doesn\u2019t require the accused to have acted in harmful ways purposefully. To be guilty of endangerment, you must have acted with disregard for the consequences of your actions. You may receive an endangerment charge whether you actually injure or harm someone or not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Endangerment involves disregarding safety protocols and rules, like ignoring policies at work and creating a risk of injury. Behaviors like shooting off a gun in a crowd or throwing rocks at cars can count as endangerment. Other examples include carrying a loaded gun without the safety on in a crowded place or racing cars on a public street.<\/p>\n The legal definition for endangerment is intentionally vague. This gives law enforcement and legal officials the ability to use their judgment and give this charge to behavior that seems dangerous to them. The prosecutor only has to allege that a substantial risk existed for someone to suffer injury or death due to your behavior.<\/p>\n Vehicular endangerment and reckless driving<\/a> are not the same crime, although they can be similar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Among the commonest versions of endangerment is vehicular endangerment. This crime involves someone driving their car in a reckless way that could harm others, like speeding down a busy street.<\/p>\n Reckless driving, on the other hand, involves operating your vehicle with a disregard for persons or property. Factors that can impact whether your driving counts as reckless is the time of day, whether there are other drivers on the road, the current weather conditions, and more.<\/p>\n Driving while under the influence is one of the most common actions that can lead to an endangerment charge. You may receive this charge even if you aren\u2019t in a car accident. If you receive a blood test that shows you were over the legal limit<\/a> and caused a low-impact accident with no injuries, you may receive a misdemeanor DUI charge<\/a> in addition to an endangerment charge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And since this crime also involves a dangerous instrument (vehicle) according to Arizona law, it could involve prison time. A prison sentence can occur if it\u2019s proven that the driver placed another driver at serious risk of imminent death. Operating a vehicle while under the influence puts other drivers at risk of harm in a substantial and immediate way. You might also receive an aggravated assault charge<\/a> if you hit another driver or had people in your car.<\/p>\n What does it mean to be charged with endangerment? Is reckless endangerment a felony or a misdemeanor?\u00a0 <\/span>If the action didn\u2019t involve a risk of imminent death, it\u2019s a Class 1 Misdemeanor<\/a> charge. If your actions did involve placing someone at substantial risk of death, it\u2019s a Class 6 Felony.<\/p>\n For a Class 6 Felony charge of endangerment, a first offense may get 12 months of prison time, while an aggravated offense may get a 2-year sentence. A Class 1 Misdemeanor charge may come with a 6-month maximum jail sentence and $2,500 worth of fines.<\/p>\n According to Arizona law, your criminal charges stay on record until you\u2019re 99. It\u2019s not technically allowable to erase or seal a charge or arrest in the state, even if you went through probation. So, if you\u2019re convicted of endangerment, it will always be on your record.<\/p>\n Your criminal history can have a serious impact on your life, from finances to job opportunities and beyond. Many people don\u2019t know that the same case or charge can result in multiple different outcomes. Without an experienced lawyer\u2019s help, you may end up with a less-than-favorable situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You might be able to go from a risk of multiple charges to lessened penalties with the right legal assistance. You could get your charges reduced and receive fines and classes rather than time in jail. Contact our criminal defense professionals<\/a> today for assistance.<\/p>\nWhat Qualifies as Reckless Endangerment?<\/h2>\n
Assault vs. Endangerment\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Assault<\/h4>\n
Endangerment<\/h4>\n
Examples of Endangerment<\/h3>\n
Vehicular Endangerment vs. Reckless Driving<\/h2>\n
Vehicular Endangerment<\/h3>\n
Reckless Driving<\/h3>\n
Endangerment and DUIs<\/h2>\n
Sentencing for Endangerment<\/h2>\n
How Much Time do You Get for Reckless Endangerment?<\/h3>\n
How Long does Endangerment Stay on Your Record?<\/h3>\n
Need Help with an Endangerment Charge?<\/h2>\n