Introduction

Medal of Valor Act

Administrative Acts

Terrorist Acts

Criminal Acts

Sentence / Penalty

Traffic Acts

Robert S. Hill, Chief Magistrate Biography

Criminal Laws

Link to the Code of Virginia

  § 18.2-154. Shooting at or throwing missiles, etc., at train, car, vessel, etc.; penalty.

Any person who maliciously shoots at, or maliciously throws any missile at or against, any train or cars on any railroad or other transportation company or any vessel or other watercraft, or any motor vehicle or other vehicles when occupied by one or more persons, whereby the life of any person on such train, car, vessel, or other watercraft, or in such motor vehicle or other vehicle, may be put in peril, shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony. In the event of the death of any such person, resulting from such malicious shooting or throwing, the person so offending shall be deemed guilty of murder, the degree to be determined by the jury or the court trying the case without a jury. 

If any such act is committed unlawfully, but not maliciously, the person so offending shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony and, in the event of the death of any such person, resulting from such unlawful act, the person so offending shall be deemed guilty of involuntary manslaughter. 

If any person commits a violation of this section by maliciously or unlawfully shooting, with a firearm, at a conspicuously marked law-enforcement, fire or rescue squad vehicle, ambulance or any other emergency medical vehicle, the sentence imposed shall include a mandatory, minimum term of imprisonment of one year which shall not be suspended in whole or in part. 

(Code 1950, § 18.1-152; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1990, c. 426.)

§ 18.2-414.1. Obstructing members of rescue squad in performance of mission; penalty.

Any person or persons who unreasonably or unnecessarily obstruct a member or members of a rescue squad, whether governmental, private or volunteer, in the performance of their rescue mission or who shall fail or refuse to cease such obstruction or move on when requested to do so by a member of a rescue squad going to or at the site of a rescue mission, shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. 

(1976, c. 233; 2002, c. 560.)

The 2002 amendments. - The 2002 amendment by c. 560 substituted "Class 2" for "Class 4." 

§ 18.2-414.2. Crossing established police lines, perimeters or barricades.

Statute text

It shall be unlawful for any person to cross or remain within police lines or barricades that have been established pursuant to § 15.2-1714 without proper authorization. 

Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

  § 18.2-57. Assault and battery.

A.  Any person who commits a simple assault or assault and battery shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, and if the person intentionally selects the person against whom a simple assault is committed because of his race, religious conviction, color or national origin, the penalty upon conviction shall include a mandatory, minimum term of confinement of at least six months, thirty days of which shall not be suspended, in whole or in part. 

B.  However, if a person intentionally selects the person against whom an assault and battery resulting in bodily injury is committed because of his race, religious conviction, color or national origin, the person shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony, and the penalty upon conviction shall include a mandatory, minimum term of confinement of at least six months, thirty days of which shall not be suspended, in whole or in part. 

C.  In addition, if any person commits an assault or an assault and battery against another knowing or having reason to know that such other person is a law-enforcement officer as defined hereinafter, a correctional officer as defined in § 53.1-1, a person employed by the Department of Corrections directly involved in the care, treatment or supervision of inmates in the custody of the Department or a firefighter as defined in § 65.2-102 [see below] engaged in the performance of his public duties as such, such person shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony, and, upon conviction, the sentence of such person shall include a mandatory, minimum term of confinement for six months which mandatory, minimum term shall not be suspended, in whole or in part. 

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to affect the right of any person charged with a violation of this section from asserting and presenting evidence in support of any defenses to the charge that may be available under common law. 

  § 65.2-102. Coverage of firefighters….

B.  For purposes of this section:….

"Firefighter" means all (i) salaried firefighters, including special forest wardens designated pursuant to § 10.1-1135, emergency medical technicians, lifesaving and rescue squad members, and arson investigators and (ii) volunteer firefighters and lifesaving or rescue squad members, if the governing body of the political subdivision in which the principal office of such volunteer fire company or volunteer lifesaving or rescue squad is located has adopted a resolution acknowledging such volunteer fire company or volunteer lifesaving and rescue squad as employees for purposes of this title.  ……

 (1993, c. 719; 2001, c. 330.)

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