Resisting Arrest is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person uses physical force to try and stop an officer from arresting them. It’s not uncommon for a person who gets charged with Resisting Arrest also faces charges from Assault on a Police Officer. A man was recently charged with these crimes, along with Arson, after he tried to flee from the scene of a fire. According to the report, the man was identified as the one who set fire to the senior center. Witnesses saw him go into a nearby fast food restaurant. When police approached the man, he ran. The officers struggled with him to get him to comply and the man hit one of the officers. The man was tased and arrested.
Larimer County Resisting Arrest Lawyer: Definition of Resisting Arrest
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Resisting Arrest – C.R.S. 18-8-103 – is:
(a) Using or threatening to use physical force or violence against the peace officer or another; or
(b) Using any other means which creates a substantial risk of causing bodily injury to the peace officer or another.
Because this criminal charge includes the use of physical force, it’s easy to get charged with Assault on a Peace Officer as well.
Punishment for Resisting Arrest in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Resisting Arrest is a class 2 misdemeanor. This level misdemeanor is punishable by 3 to 12 months in the Larimer County Jail and up to $1,000 in fines. If, like the man above, Assault on a Police Officer is also charged, then that is the more serious charge. Assault on a Peace Officer is charged as Second Degree Assault, which is a felony.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Resisting Arrest, 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 to schedule your free consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
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