Chandler Endangerment Defense Attorney
Endangerment under A.R.S. § 13-1201 is committed by putting someone at a substantial risk of imminent death or physical injury. Under A.R.S. § 13-1201,
A. A person commits endangerment by recklessly endangering another person with a substantial risk of imminent death or physical injury.
B. Endangerment involving a substantial risk of imminent death is a class 6 felony. In all other cases, it is a class 1 misdemeanor.
Endangerment can be broadly defined and open to interpretation. This is why fighting an endangerment charge will require the critical analysis of a criminal defense attorney.
Examples of endangerment might include:
- Firing a gun into the air.
- Driving while intoxicated.
- Car racing.
- Leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.
The State must prove these elements beyond a reasonable doubt that:
- The defendant was aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk.
- The risk was of a nature and degree that disregard of the risk was a gross deviation from the standard of conduct a reasonable person would observe in the situation.
- The defendant disregarded the substantial risk that his conduct would cause imminent death or physical injury.
- The defendant’s conduct did create a substantial risk of imminent death or physical injury.
You can also be charged with endangerment even if no one was harmed because the prosecution could prove your reckless behavior posed a substantial risk to somebody else. However, recklessness is a higher standard than negligence. To reach this standard, the risk would need to be very serious, meaning the alleged conduct would have grossly deviated from a reasonable person’s behavior.
If you have been charged with endangerment, it’s important to speak with a criminal defense attorney who has many years of experience in defending against these types of charges. The lawyers at the Attorneys for Freedom Law Firm have been representing people charged with recklessness for nearly 3 decades.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being charged with misdemeanor or felony endangerment in Chandler, AZ, email us or call our office at 480-755-7110 and our experienced team of defense lawyers will help you come up with the best solutions for your case.
Arizona Office Address:
3185 S. Price Rd.
Chandler, AZ 85248
Phone: 480-755-7110
