There is nothing more annoying than losing out on a primo parking spot. Especially if that spot was designated as yours. It seemed to get one high school teacher really hot and bothered when he arrived at school to find a student had parked in his parking space. In response to this perceived slight, the teacher decided to let the air out of the student’s front tire. As you can imagine, this did not go over well, especially since the student was given permission by school security to park there because the student parking lot was unavailable at the time. But instead of just reprimanding the teacher and making him fix the flat he caused, police were called and the teacher is facing charges for Reckless Endangerment. Do the teacher’s actions meet the criteria of this statute? Let’s take a closer look to find out.
Larimer County Reckless Endangerment Lawyer: What is the Definition of Reckless Endangerment?
The Colorado law definition of Reckless Endangerment – C.R.S. 18-3-208 – is:
In comparing the above definition to the actions of the teacher, does letting the air out of someone’s tire create a substantial risk of serious bodily injury? I’m just not so sure. I could see Reckless Endangerment being charged if you threw nails in front of the car tire while it was being driven in order to cause a flat tire. That could potentially put the driver and any passengers at risk for serious bodily injury. But, just causing a flat tire to a stationary car – I don’t think so. It seems that the Criminal Mischief (property damage) or a Harassment charge would be much more appropriate if this had occurred in Larimer, Boulder or Grand County, but hey – I don’t get to make these types of decisions.
Fort Collins Reckless Endangerment Attorney: What is the Sentence / Punishment for Reckless Endangerment?
As a class 3 misdemeanor in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Reckless Endangerment is punishable by up to 6 months in the Larimer County Jail and $50 – $750 in fines. It is the lowest level felony that a person can be charged with, but that does not mean a conviction will not have lasting effects. Imagine, especially for a teacher, having a Reckless Endangerment conviction on your record. It will be seen anytime he applies for a new job. A potential employer would see that he put someone at risk for serious bodily injury and think twice about allowing him to oversee young students. Even minor misdemeanor crimes can have major effects on your life. It is important to remember that police will charge someone with a crime for literally any behavior – so be careful out there.