It is safe to say emotions run high during a divorce. Conversations about custody of the kids and property divisions cause people to react in irrational ways. This is true of a Colorado man this past week. At a meeting with his lawyer and soon to be ex- wife, an argument ensued and the man pulled out a gun. He did not pull the trigger, and no one was injured, but he is now wanted for felony Menacing with the Domestic Violence sentence enhancer.
What is Felony Menacing in Fort Collins?
Colorado law defines Menacing – C.R.S. 18-3-206 – as:
Because the man had a gun, he put the people in the room in fear of serious bodily injury. They worried they were going to be shot. In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, anytime a person claims they were fearful their life was in danger or they were going to be hurt, felony menacing may be charged.
What is the Punishment for Felony Menacing in Larimer County?
Usually, Menacing is a class 3 misdemeanor, but, it is a class 5 felony if committed:
- 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
- By the person representing verbally or otherwise that he or she is armed with a deadly weapon.
The fact the man had a gun, a deadly weapon, automatically bumps his Menacing charge to a class 5 felony.