Causing Or Risking Widespread Injury Or Damage

While penalties for Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage are significant, the statute creates penalties even for recklessly creating a risk of widespread injury or damage, even if no injury or damage actually occurs.

Circumstances under which you could be charged under 2C:17-2(c) would include even some fairly innocuous behaviors, like spilling or abandoning flammable materials in a place where they could reasonably ignite, or leaving an un-ignited gas stove on in an apartment building.

Even if no harm comes from the act, recklessly creating a risk of fire or explosion is adequate to draw criminal charges.

Penalties under 2C:17-2(c) are serious, allowing for a prison sentence of up to 18 months and fines of up to $10,000.

The charge is an indictable offense, comparable to a felony in other states, so you’ll have a criminal record if convicted and will have disclose it on job and housing applications.

As with every criminal charge, there are defenses, and an experienced criminal defense attorney can make a big difference in your case.

If you’ve been charged with Fourth Degree Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage, call MatthewReisig today at 732-625-9661 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey criminal defense lawyer.

Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage is a criminal law in New Jersey that can be applied in a variety of ways.

Under section (b) of the statute (2C:17-2(b)), a person who recklessly causes widespread injury or damage is guilty of a crime of the third degree.

In general “widespread injury or damage” is defined as causing an explosion, flood, avalanche, building collapse, or the release of poison gas, radioactive material, or any other harmful or destructive substance.

As with many criminal statutes, the element of recklessness is critical to how the charge is applied.

If prosecutors believe you can be shown to have behaved purposely or knowingly, rather than recklessly, you can be charged with the more serious Second Degree Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage, and the consequences are far more severe.

As a third degree charge, the maximum penalty you’ll face for this count is three to five years in prison with fines of $15,000.

At the second degree level, your prison time can be doubled, and your fine ten times higher.

Criminal charges have defenses, and criminal defendants are entitled to a strong defense.

Your best bet to avoid the worst consequences of conviction under 2C:17-2(b) is to work with an experienced New Jersey criminal defense lawyer to protect your rights and build the most compelling case possible for you.

If you’ve been charged with Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage in New Jersey at any level, call MatthewReisig today at 732-625-9661 and talk to a lawyer for free.

A little known but extremely serious criminal charge in New Jersey is specified under N.J.S.A. 2C:17-2(a), Second Degree Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage.

The charge is applied in cases where a defendant stands accused of “purposely or knowingly” unlawfully causing an explosion, flood, avalanche, collapse of a building, release or abandonment of poison gas, radioactive material, or any other harmful or destructive substance.

The charge is often filed in cases of suspected arson. These charges may meet any of several terms of the statute, including causing an explosion, release of gas, or release of a destructive substance like an accelerant used in an intentional fire.

Charges under 2C:17-2(a) are extremely dangerous, because the penalties are so high.

If convicted, you can face a five to ten year prison sentence for this charge alone (more if it’s part of a longer indictment), plus fines of up to $150,000.

Second Degree Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage is the kind of charge that can rob you of years of your life, and you owe it to yourself to work with an experienced lawyer who can provide the strongest possible defense.

MatthewReisig has defended people in New Jersey facing even very serious charges for some 20 years, and can help you.

Call 732-625-9661 today for your free consultation.

New Jersey Penalties For Causing Or Risking Widespread Injury Or Damage (N.J.S.A. 2C:17-2) Charges

Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage (N.J.S.A. 2C:17-2) in New Jersey is something of a catch all charge that covers a variety of types of conduct that don’t only affect a single person or even several people.

Rather, 2C:17-2 describes acts that can have wide ranging implications and cause damages or injury to many.

The charge is always an indictable offense, meaning that it is comparable to a felony in other states.

Whether you’ll be charged with a crime of the fourth, third, or second degree has a lot to do with elements like reckless conduct versus knowing conduct, i.e., is there evidence that you intended for your conduct to cause injury or damage?

You can’t take risks with felony charges in New Jersey, especially when you’re charged with endangering people and property.

Attorney Matthew Reisig has protected clients in New Jersey for almost two decades.

If you need help with Causing Or Risking Widespread Injury Or Damage charges, call 732-625-9661 today and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.

New Jersey Penalties For Causing Or Risking Widespread Injury Or Damage (N.J.S.A. 2C:17-2) Charges

Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage (N.J.S.A. 2C:17-2) in New Jersey is graded at a number of levels, depending on the alleged conduct and its results.

At the fourth degree level, with a possible 18 month sentence, the prosecution will allege that you recklessly created a risk of widespread injury or damage, or that you knowingly or recklessly failed to mitigate a source of risk.

When the risk of widespread injury or damage is the result of reckless handling of hazardous materials, the charge is a crime of the third degree, with a sentence of three to five years possible.

Similarly, a person who recklessly (but not knowingly) causes widespread injury or damage, or causes a toxic spill or hazardous discharge, will be charged at the third degree level.

Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage can also be charged at the second degree level, with a five to 10 year sentence if convicted.

In those cases, the prosecution will have to prove that you knowingly engaged in conduct that caused widespread injury or damage, as defined by the statute.

This is a very serious charge that often draws extensive local or even national attention.

You need an attorney who can rebut the charges against you while managing the case in a way to minimize the danger of outside influence.

Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9661 and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.