People v. Sanchez

52 Misc. 3d 882, 34 N.Y.S.3d 565, 2016 NY Slip Op 26192, 2016 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2214
CourtCriminal Court of the City of New York
DecidedJune 13, 2016
StatusPublished

This text of 52 Misc. 3d 882 (People v. Sanchez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Criminal Court of the City of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Sanchez, 52 Misc. 3d 882, 34 N.Y.S.3d 565, 2016 NY Slip Op 26192, 2016 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2214 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2016).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Mary V. Rosado, J.

Defendant is charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree (Penal Law § 120.20), criminal mischief in the [884]*884fourth degree (Penal Law § 145.00 [3]), reckless driving (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1212) and unlicensed operation (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 509 [1]). By notice of motion, affirmation and memorandum of law dated March 22, 2016, defendant moves for dismissal of Penal Law §§ 120.20, 145.00 (3) and Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1212 for facial insufficiency and for other relief. By affirmation in opposition dated March 30, 2016, the People oppose dismissal.

Defendant’s motion to dismiss is granted as to reckless endangerment in the second degree, and denied as to criminal mischief in the fourth degree and reckless driving.

Factual Allegations

The information alleges, in pertinent part, that on or about March 2, 2016, at approximately 11:45 a.m., in front of 178 East 174th Street, the following occurred:

“Deponent states that, at the above time and place, he observed the defendant behind the handlebars of a red Honda motorcycle . . . which was moving on the above-described location, a public roadway. “Deponent further states that he observed defendant driving said Honda motorcycle at approximately fifty (50) miles per hour in a zone with an unposted speed limit of twenty-five miles (25) miles per hour while, multiple times, attempting to pop the front tire of said motorcycle off of the ground and drive only on the back tire. Deponent further states that he observed defendant weave between unidentified vehicles attempting to pass said vehicles and observed said vehicles have to slow down and stop because of defendant’s aforementioned conduct. Deponent further states he observed pedestrians who were walking in the street have to stop and stand between cars because of defendant’s aforementioned conduct.
“Deponent further states that defendant’s aforementioned conduct caused defendant to drive said Honda motorcycle into deponent’s driver side door causing damage to said door making it uncapable [sic] of being closed. Deponent further states he is the lawful custodian of said vehicle, and as such, he did not give defendant permission or authority to damage said vehicle. Deponent further states said damage exceeds two-hundred and fifty ($250) dollars.
[885]*885“Deponent further states that defendant was unable to provide a valid license for operating a motorcycle.”

Facial Sufficiency

To be facially sufficient, an accusatory instrument “must designate the offense or offenses charged” (CPL 100.15 [2]) and “must contain a statement of the complainant alleging facts of an evidentiary character supporting or tending to support the charges” (CPL 100.15 [3]). More specifically, an information must provide “reasonable cause to believe that the defendant committed the offense charged in the accusatory part of the information” and must contain “non-hearsay allegations . . . [that] establish, if true, every element of the offense charged and the defendant’s commission thereof” (CPL 100.40 [1]; see People v Henderson, 92 NY2d 677, 679 [1999]).

The Court of Appeals has stated that CPL 100.40 (1) places “the burden on the People to make out their prima facie case for the offense charged in the text of the information” (People v Jones, 9 NY3d 259, 261 [2007]). It should be noted that the prima facie case requirement is not the same as the burden required at trial of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, “nor does it rise to the level of legally sufficient evidence that is necessary to survive a motion to dismiss based on the proof presented at [the] trial” (People v Kalin, 12 NY3d 225, 230 [2009]). Rather, what is required is that the factual allegations in the information “give an accused notice sufficient to prepare a defense and are adequately detailed to prevent a defendant from being tried twice for the same offense” (id. at 230 [internal quotation marks and citations omitted]). Ultimately, the information “should be given a fair and not overly restrictive or technical reading” (People v Casey, 95 NY2d 354, 360 [2000]).

Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree

Penal Law § 120.20 provides that “[a] person is guilty of reckless endangerment in the second degree when he recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person.” One acts recklessly

“with respect to a result or to a circumstance described by a statute defining an offense when he is aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that such result will occur or that such circumstance exists. The risk must be of such nature and degree that disregard thereof [886]*886constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation” (Penal Law § 15.05 [3]).

A defendant’s conduct must actually create a substantial risk of serious physical injury (Matter of Kysean D.S., 285 AD2d 994 [4th Dept 2001]). Serious physical injury is “physical injury which creates a substantial risk of death, or which causes death or serious and protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of health or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ” (Penal Law § 10.00 [10]).

As set forth in the accusatory instrument, the factual allegations fail to allege that defendant created a substantial risk of serious physical injury.

The People argue that “reckless endangerment has been held to be sufficient where defendant forced cars to pull over to avoid colliding with him, disregarded traffic control devices, and stopped only when his vehicle skidded” (affirmation in opposition at 6). However, examination of their cited cases in support reveals that other aggravating circumstances were critical to the finding of reckless endangerment.1 In People v Taberas (60 AD3d 791 [2d Dept 2009]), the defendant was actively fleeing from police. Travelling over 40 miles per hour on icy roads, during rain and snow, the defendant evaded the police for approximately one mile. He disobeyed multiple traffic signals, causing other vehicles to pull over. In People v MacLean (48 AD3d 1215 [4th Dept 2008]), the defendant, while intoxicated, drove down the middle of a road at 75 to 95 miles per hour. Driving conditions were poor in that the road was slippery with wet leaves. He disobeyed traffic signals and forced three vehicles to veer off the road. In People v Wolz (300 AD2d 606 [2d Dept 2002]), the defendant drove at a high rate of speed, weaving in and around other vehicles, on the shoulder of the road. He lost control of his vehicle and crossed over the median into an oncoming lane of traffic. In People v Kenney (288 AD2d 323 [2d Dept 2001]), the defendant took the police on a nine-minute car chase. He disregarded stop signs and stoplights and drove in the wrong lane of traffic. In People v Walker (258 AD2d 541 [2d Dept 1999]), the defendant drove a [887]*887stolen car up to 80 to 100 miles per hour, into oncoming traffic. He disobeyed a stop sign and several red lights. In People v Finger (266 AD2d 561 [2d Dept 1999]), the defendant was also involved in a police car chase.

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Related

People v. Casey
740 N.E.2d 233 (New York Court of Appeals, 2000)
People v. Jones
878 N.E.2d 1016 (New York Court of Appeals, 2007)
People v. Henderson
708 N.E.2d 165 (New York Court of Appeals, 1999)
People v. Kalin
906 N.E.2d 381 (New York Court of Appeals, 2009)
People v. MacLean
48 A.D.3d 1215 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2008)
People v. Taberas
60 A.D.3d 791 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2009)
People v. Finger
266 A.D.2d 561 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1999)
In re Kysean D. S.
285 A.D.2d 994 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2001)
People v. Wolz
300 A.D.2d 606 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
52 Misc. 3d 882, 34 N.Y.S.3d 565, 2016 NY Slip Op 26192, 2016 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2214, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-sanchez-nycrimct-2016.