Deliberately running red light can result in conviction for assault with deadly weapon

Nov 15, 2012

This week the California Court of Appeal concluded that a driver who deliberately races through a red light at a busy intersection and collides with another vehicle, causing injury to another, can be convicted of assault with a deadly weapon.  “Assault with a deadly weapon requires proof of an intentional act committed with knowledge of facts that would lead a reasonable person to realize that physical force would be applied to another as a direct and probable consequence of that act.”  Drivers beware!

The Case is: People v. Aznavoleh, ____ Cal.App.4th ____, ____ Cal.Rptr.3d ____, 2012 D.A.R. 15249 (2nd Dist. 2012) November 06, 2012 (B231434)