New Jersey Aggravated Assault

Aggravated Assault Definition

Aggravated Assault Definition NJSA – 2C:12-1b
A person is guilty of aggravated assault if the person:

(1) Attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another or causes injury purposely or knowingly or under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life recklessly causes such injury; or

(2) Attempts to cause or purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon; or

(3) Recklessly causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon; or

(4) Knowingly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life points a firearm, or in the direction of another, whether or not the actor believes it to be loaded; or

(5) Commits a simple assault on a “member of the protected class”.

What Does Aggravated Mean?

The word “Aggravated” encompasses the following behavior.
A person acted purposely, knowingly, or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.
Basically, this means that you knew what you were doing when you did and that you didn’t care about any consequences.

What Is Serious Bodily Harm?

N.J.S.A. 2C:11–1b defines “Serious Bodily Injury” as “bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.”

Explainer Video

Aggravated Assault charges in New Jersey are felonies.
If you’re facing Aggravated Assault charges, it’s important to understand two things:
1. The extent of your victim’s injuries; and
2. Identifying whether the victim in your case is a member of a “protected class”.

Important: Was the victim a protected class?

IMPORTANT: If you are charged with Simple Assault on a certain member of society, then you will be charged with Aggravated Assault.

Protected members of our society include law enforcement, firefighters, EMT personnel, school teachers, bus drivers, and many more.

For example, you will be charged with Simple Assault in New Jersey if you slap your next-door neighbor.
However, you will be charged with Aggravated Assault in New Jersey if you slap a police officer.

It’s the same “slap” but depending on the “who the victim” is, you face Simple Or Aggravated Assault Charges.

Just a few of the Aggravated Assault Cases we Handled

One Newark client got into a confrontation with his coworker. They exchanged words & the situation quickly escalated to blows. He was charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and harassment. We asserted self-defense & successfully got him into a diversionary program.

Another client in Hackensack got charged with both aggravated assault & aggravated sexual assault and stalking. The victim was his girlfriend & through our investigation, we discovered evidence which weakened the government’s case. As a result, we were able to reduce his first-degree charges to fourth-degree charges. As a result, he avoided serving a 60-year prison sentence.

Is It a Felony?

Aggravated Assault is a felony.

This type of crime is committed in many forms and the degrees of punishment vary.

Whenever you cause someone to suffer serious bodily injury, you will be facing felony charges.

Things get worse if you use any type of weapon. It does not have to be a gun.

You can get charged with aggravated assault even if you did not intend to hurt anyone.

Under New Jersey’s Aggravated Assault law, you will be held responsible for your “reckless actions” or if your actions “manifested an extreme indifference” to the value of human life.

2nd-Degree

You are guilty of 2nd-degree aggravated assault if you:

Attempted to cause serious bodily injury to another or caused such injury purposely or knowingly or under circumstances showing extreme indifference to the value of human life.
Caused bodily injury to another while fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer or while operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent.
Caused significant or serious bodily injury by knowingly or purposely starting a fire or causing an explosion that resulted in injury to any responding emergency services personnel.

2nd-Degree Penalties

If you are convicted of a second-degree crime in New Jersey, you face:

a potential fine of up to $150,000;
a prison term of five to 10 years; and
under the No Early Release Act (NERA), you must serve at least 85 percent of your sentence before you can be eligible for parole.

3rd-Degree

You are guilty of 3rd-degree aggravated assault if you:

cause an injury either attempt to cause significant bodily injury or actually cause such injury, purposely or knowingly or recklessly, under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life (third-degree crime)
cause bodily injury to any emergency services personnel who are either responding to or helping put out a fire that occurred because a defendant knowingly or purposely started a fire or caused an explosion (second-degree crime or third-degree crime, depending on injury).
knowingly, under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life, point or display a firearm at or in the direction of a law enforcement officer (third-degree crime)
knowingly point, display or use an imitation firearm at or in the direction of a law enforcement officer for the purpose of intimidating, threatening, or attempting to put the officer in fear of bodily injury or for any other unlawful purpose (third-degree crime)
use or activate a laser sighting system or device (or an object that a reasonable person would believe is a laser sight) against a law enforcement officer acting in the performance of his duties while in uniform or exhibiting evidence of his authority (third-degree crime).
purposely drive a vehicle in an aggressive manner at another vehicle and bodily injury results (third-degree crime or fourth-degree crime, depending on injury).

3rd-Degree Penalties

If you are convicted of a third-degree crime in New Jersey, you face:

a prison sentence of three to five years; and
a fine up to $15,000, or both.

4th-Degree

You are guilty of 4th-degree aggravated assault if you:

Recklessly caused bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon.
Knowingly under circumstances showing extreme indifference to the value of human life pointed a firearm at or in the direction of another, regardless of whether you believed the gun was loaded.
Committed a simple assault upon an institutionalized elderly person when you were employed by a nursing home or similar long-term care facility.
Committed a simple assault upon another at a school or community-sponsored youth sports event while in the presence of a child under age 16.

4th-Degree Penalties

If you are convicted of a fourth-degree crime in New Jersey, you face:

a prison sentence up to 18 months: and
a fine up to $10,000, or both.

Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon

If you cause injury to someone with a “deadly weapon”, you will be facing aggravated assault charges.

Simply pointing a gun at someone is aggravated assault.

Even if the gun is unloaded or it is a toy gun, it does not matter.

The simple act of pointing a firearm at or in the direction of another person means that
you are manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.

It does not matter that you did not intend to harm anyone.

Deadly Weapon Defined: NJSA§ 2C:11-1.

Deadly weapon means:

any firearm or other weapon,
device, instrument, material or substance, whether animate or inanimate, which in the manner it is used or is intended to be used, is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury;
or which in the manner it is fashioned would lead the victim reasonably to believe it to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury;

Aggravated Assault with a Bodily Fluid

You are guilty of Aggravated Assault with a Bodily Fluid if you:

throws a bodily fluid at a Department of Corrections employee,
county corrections officer,
juvenile corrections officer,
State juvenile facility employee,
juvenile detention staff member,
probation officer,
any sheriff, undersheriff or sheriff’s officer or any municipal,
county or State law enforcement officer while in the performance of his duties or otherwise purposely subjects such employee to contact with a bodily fluid commits aggravated assault.

Note: If the victim suffers bodily injury, this shall be a crime of the third-degree.
Otherwise, this shall be a crime of the fourth-degree.

Aggravated Assault By Auto

You are guilty of assault by auto if you cause injury by driving in an aggressive manner:

Driving a vehicle in an aggressive manner includes, but is not limited to:

unexpectedly altering the speed of the vehicle;
making improper or erratic traffic lane changes;
disregarding traffic control devices;
failing to yield the right of way, or following another vehicle too closely.

*You commit simple assault against certain persons given special protection by New Jersey law due to their occupations (third-degree crime or fourth-degree crime, depending on injury).

Assault by auto or vessel is a crime of the second degree if:
you cause serious bodily injury while you are operating the auto or vessel while driving drunk:

on any school property used for school purposes which is owned by or leased to any elementary or secondary school or school board, or within 1,000 feet of such school property;
driving through a school crossing if the municipality, by ordinance or resolution, has designated the school crossing as such; or
driving through a school crossing knowing that juveniles are present if the municipality has not designated the school crossing as such by ordinance or resolution.

See the Jessica Rogers “Road Rage Law”

What's the difference between simple & aggravated Assault?

We have devoted an entire article and explainer video for this question.

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