Domestic Violence Car Chase | Weld County Attorney

If you face charges of Domestic Violence in Colorado, call an attorney right away.

As far as relationships are involved, sometimes tensions run high. A Colorado man was recently arrested for chasing after his wife as she drove away with their child inside their car. In an effort to stop her, he ended up ramming into her car from behind and is now facing a slew of charges including Domestic Violence Menacing, Criminal Mischief, Child Abuse and Reckless Endangerment. As a result of the intimate relationship of this couple, any charge between them is likely to be accompanied by the DV label.

A Breakdown of These Criminal Charges in Greeley

  • C.R.S. 18-3-206 – Menacing is defined as:
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.

The physical action of ramming his wife’s car is the basis for felony menacing.

A person who recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to another person commits reckless endangerment.

The intentional hitting of another vehicle is rarely justifiable.

A person commits criminal mischief when he or she knowingly damages the real or personal property of one or more other persons, including property owned by the person jointly with another person or property owned by the person in which another person has a possessory or proprietary interest, in the course of a single criminal episode.

Damage caused to each car jointly owned by the wife supports a felony or misdemeanor charge depending on the amount of damage.

(a) A person commits child abuse if such person causes an injury to a child’s life or health, or permits a child to be unreasonably placed in a situation that poses a threat of injury to the child’s life or health, or engages in a continued pattern of conduct that results in malnourishment, lack of proper medical care, cruel punishment, mistreatment, or an accumulation of injuries that ultimately results in the death of a child or serious bodily injury to a child.

Clearly, putting the child at risk of death of the car were to flip or be pushed into another car, supports the charge of Child Abuse or Child Endangerment.

Domestic Violence Sentence Enhancer in Weld County

In Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, Domestic Violence is not a charge itself, but a sentence enhancer. Because these crimes were allegedly committed against a his wife, a person with whom he has been in an intimate relationship, the Domestic Violence sentence enhancer would be added to each charge:

  • Menacing- Domestic Violence
  • Criminal Mischief- Domestic Violence
  • Child Abuse- Domestic Violence
  • Reckless Endangerment- Domestic Violence

This means a mandatory protection order will be put in effect immediately upon the man’s arrest. Also, if someone pleads guilty or is convicted of a DV offense, they will have to pay for and complete evaluations and Domestic Violence treatment in Greeley, Evans or Erie.

A Domestic Violence conviction can have a negative impact on your family’s future. So, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and call us today at (970) 616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.

Image Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net – Suriya Kankliang