Have you been charged with Reckless Endangerment in Denver, Arapahoe, or Douglas County and wonder if a criminal defense attorney could help? You should be equipped with basic information about this charge and a good criminal attorney can be your best asset to fight these allegations.
First, a required element of this law is that you are “placing other people in danger.” In a legal sense, this element is so broad that it refers to almost any act which can be classified as criminal when looked at through the lens of the police, judges, or district attorney. Other crimes like Child Abuse (C.R.S. 18-6-401), Cruelty to Animals (C.R.S. 18-9-202), and Obstruction of Police (C.R.S. 18-8-104) are also broadly written. Like Reckless Endangerment, district attorneys in Adams, Larimer, and Jefferson County use these crimes to charge people whose conduct can be viewed as criminal, but doesn’t fit nicely within the elements of other crimes.
Reckless Endangerment is defined under the Colorado Revised Statutes as follows: “A person who recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to another person commits reckless endangerment….” Using this language, police officers in Broomfield, Lakewood, or Aurora can make almost any act fit the definition. You could be arrested if you allowed your friend to be unbuckled in your car in Thornton, if you left your car running while you deposited some money in the ATM in Parker, or if your child left your side and got lost while on the 16th Street Mall in Denver. Technically, almost any act could qualify.
You can best defend yourself from government intrusion into your life simply by not speaking to the police. Cases are won and lost because my clients speak to police before hiring me or another Colorado licensed criminal defense attorney. When you speak with a sheriffs deputy in Weld, El Paso, and Grand County, you are inviting the police to charge you with a crime. The key is to avoid speaking with law enforcement, remain silent and immediately call a Denver criminal lawyer.
A lawyer can challenge the government’s evidence against you under the Rules of Evidence. Knowing the law is a powerful thing. Use it for your benefit. When dealing with criminal charges, make sure you have someone fighting for you. When you or a loved one have been charged with Reckless Endangerment, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and call us at 303-731-0719. Together we can protect your future.