Assault 3rd Degree is defined as which of the following?

Assault 3rd Degree is defined as which of the following?

• A. Recklessly causing injury to a stranger
• B. Intentionally causes injury to a bystander not in a protected category
• C. Recklessly, with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or intentionally causes or attempts to cause physical injury to specified persons
• D. Threatening to injure someone without causing injury

Answer: (C)

Third-degree assault covers either reckless conduct with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or intentional (or attempted) physical injury to people the law protects. That combination is what makes the described option correct: it explicitly includes the weapon/dangerous instrument element and the harm to specified persons. The other choices miss one or both of these elements—such as injuring a random person without a weapon, injuring a non-protected bystander, or just threatening injury without actual harm—so they don’t fit the usual definition of third-degree assault. For example, intentional harm to a police officer or other protected person would meet these criteria, as would reckless use of a weapon that results in injury.

Third-degree assault covers either reckless conduct with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or intentional (or attempted) physical injury to people the law protects. That combination is what makes the described option correct: it explicitly includes the weapon/dangerous instrument element and the harm to specified persons. The other choices miss one or both of these elements—such as injuring a random person without a weapon, injuring a non-protected bystander, or just threatening injury without actual harm—so they don’t fit the usual definition of third-degree assault. For example, intentional harm to a police officer or other protected person would meet these criteria, as would reckless use of a weapon that results in injury.