Menacing Defense Attorney in Fort Collins
Throw a Water Bottle? I’ll Shoot Up Your Car

A man was charged with Menacing after a road rage incident where a water bottle was thrown. Read more about this story here.

Many Menacing allegations we see are the result of road rage incidents. Menacing is charged when a person is put in fear of serious bodily injury, and often anger from poor driving actions can facilitate these interactions. Recently, a man handed over his dash cam footage, which clearly shows him firing multiple rounds into another car. According to the report, the man cut off the car behind him during rush hour traffic. When the car responded by honking and then tailgating him, the man slammed on his brakes and pulled a gun out of his center console. When the car began to drive past him, he aimed the gun out his window and began to shoot. The man claimed that he was shot at first and was acting in self defense, but police claim that the other car threw a water bottle at the car. The shooter is facing multiple charges, and if this had occurred in Colorado, Menacing would definitely be one of those charges.

Larimer County Menacing Lawyer: Definition of Water Bottle Menacing in Colorado

The Larimer County, Colorado, law definition of Menacing – C.R.S. 18-3-206 – is:

(1) A person commits the crime of menacing if, by any threat or physical action, he or she knowingly places or attempts to place another person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury. Menacing is a class 3 misdemeanor, but, it is a class 5 felony if committed:

(a) By the use of a deadly weapon or any article used or fashioned in a manner to cause a person to reasonably believe that the article is a deadly weapon; or

(b) By the person representing verbally or otherwise that he or she is armed with a deadly weapon.

So, based on the definition, the man took physical action (shooting a gun) and placed those in the other car in fear of serious bodily injury.

Sentence for Menacing in Loveland and Estes Park

As stated above, in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Menacing can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony depending on whether a deadly weapon was involved. Because the man used a gun, which is obviously considered a deadly weapon, he would be facing the felony charge. A class 5 felony is punishable by 1-3 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. If a person is charged with the class 3 misdemeanor Menacing, then they would be facing up to 6 months in the Larimer County Jail.


If you or someone you love has been charged with Menacing, 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 initial consultation. Together, we can protect your future.

Photo by Steve Johnson from Pexels