Disagreements are unfortunate but avoidable parts of life for Illinois adults. Sometimes, disagreements between two or more people can quickly escalate. When these situations happen, assaults can follow.
Aggravated assault
It’s easy to feel confused about the difference between battery and assault. An assault is technically criminally intimidating another person. Aggravated assaults happen when someone follows through on an intimidating act. This form of assault causes severe injuries to another person. Attacking law enforcement or paramedics can also constitute an aggravated assault charge.
Vehicular assault
A weapon used in an assault isn’t always a knife or gun. If someone uses a vehicle to threaten or seriously injure another person, a court could classify these acts as vehicular assault. Vehicular assault charges often coincide with other offenses like reckless driving.
Third-degree assault
A third-degree assault doesn’t involve physical violence or harm to anyone. Instead, this act occurs when someone threatens another person without using a weapon or object.
Second-degree assault
Second-degree assaults occur when things between two or more people escalate. A second-degree assault involves threatening another party with a weapon. This type of assault also often results in physical injuries.
First-degree assault
By law, a first-degree assault involves getting physical with another person in a way that affects their ability to breathe. Choking someone is an example of a first-degree assault, even if you stopped the assault before serious damage occurred. Both second and first-degree assaults can lead to felony charges.
Different states have their own specifications about what constitutes varying degrees of assault. Generally, courts see verbal assaults resulting in no harm as less severe than assaults resulting in injuries or deaths.