Aggravated Assault Law and Legal Definition
Aggravated assault is the crime of physically attacking another person which results in serious bodily harm and/or is committed with a deadly or dangerous weapon such as a gun, knife, sword, ax or blunt instrument. Aggravated assault is usually a felony punishable by a term in state prison. It may involve, among other things, assault with intent to rape, maim or murder.
The following is an example of a state statute dealing with aggravated assault:
"A person is guilty of aggravated assault if he:
- attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another, or causes such injury intentionally, knowingly or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life;
- attempts to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes serious bodily injury to any of the officers, agents, employees or other persons enumerated in subsection (c) or to an employee of an agency, company or other entity engaged in public transportation, while in the performance of duty;
- attempts to cause or intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to a any of the officers, agents, employees or other persons enumerated in subsection (c), in the performance of duty;
- attempts to cause or intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon; or
- attempts to cause or intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to a teaching staff member, school board member, or other employee, including a student employee, of any elementary or secondary publicly-funded educational institution, any elementary or secondary private school licensed by the Department of Education or any elementary or secondary parochial school while acting in the scope of his or her employment or because of his or her employment relationship to the school.
- attempts by physical menace to put any of the officers, agents, employees or other persons enumerated in subsection (c), while in the performance of duty, in fear of imminent serious bodily injury."
