Causing injury to a peace officer is charged as Second Degree Assault on a Police Officer in Fort Collins and Larimer County. A man is facing these, along with other charges, after a bad interaction with the police. According to the report, police were at the man’s house regarding his puppy, which had a head injury. When the man was questioned about his role in the dog’s injuries, he punched the officer in his face. That definitely made a bad situation worse. The man ended up begin charged with Animal Cruelty, Assault on a Peace Officer, Resisting Arrest, Obstruction, among other things.
Larimer County 2nd Degree Assault on a Peace Officer Definition
There are numerous subsections under C.R.S. 18-3-203 – Assault in the Second Degree – that deal with physical contact with a peace officer, including (c), (c.5), (f) and (h):
(c) With intent to prevent one whom he or she knows, or should know, to be a peace officer, firefighter, emergency medical care provider, or emergency medical service provider from performing a lawful duty, he or she intentionally causes bodily injury to any person; or
(c.5) With intent to prevent one whom he or she knows, or should know, to be a peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical service provider from performing a lawful duty, he or she intentionally causes serious bodily injury to any person; or
(f) While lawfully confined or in custody, he or she knowingly and violently applies physical force against the person of a peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical service provider engaged in the performance of his or her duties; or
(h) With intent to infect, injure, or harm another person whom the actor knows or reasonably should know to be engaged in the performance of his or her duties as a peace officer, he or she causes such person to come into contact with blood, seminal fluid, urine, feces, saliva, mucus, vomit, or any toxic, caustic, or hazardous material by any means, including by throwing, tossing, or expelling such fluid or material;
Based on the information provided above, the man would likely be facing a charge under subsection (c). He was not technically in custody at the time because the officers were still asking questions and had not made a formal arrest.
If you or someone you love is facing Second Degree Assault on a Police Officer, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007. Together, we can protect your future.
Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash