Woman Charged with Assault after Attempting to Run Over New Jersey Police Officer
A 51-year-old Raritan Township woman has been charged with aggravated assault after allegedly attempting to run over a police officer. According to a news report in The Hunterdon County Democrat, the arrest occurred on Route 179 in East Amwell. The November 17 indictment states that the woman was involved in an argument at a bank when the authorities were called. When the officers arrived, the woman allegedly fled the scene in her 2008 Jeep Wrangler and dragged an officer on the side of her car in the process. The officer suffered bruises. The woman faces charges of eluding the authorities as well as third- and second-degree aggravated assault.
Under New Jersey Law, 2C:12-1, a person is guilty of assault if he or she "attempts to cause or purposely, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another,” negligently causes bodily injury, or attempts to put another in fear of bodily injury. These charges can be increased to aggravated assault when the individual exhibits “extreme indifference to the value of human life." Aggravated assault charges typically arise from circumstances involving a deadly weapon.
The severity of the penalties for assault will depend on the criminal history of the defendant, the circumstances of the assault, and the extent of the injuries suffered in the incident. A skilled criminal defense attorney will fight to have aggravated assault charges dismissed or reduced to simple assault to help the defendant avoid wrongful charges and unnecessarily harsh penalties.
The skilled criminal defense lawyers in New Jersey at Lependorf & Silverstein have a long history of handling assault cases in New Jersey. If you or a loved one is facing assault or aggravated assault charges, please call our offices at (609) 240-0040 before discussing your case with authorities.
