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Illinois Compiled Statutes

720 ILCS 5/12-5 (2026)

Reckless conduct

✓ current as of May 2026
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(720 ILCS 5/12-5) (from Ch. 38, par. 12-5)
    Sec. 12-5. Reckless conduct.
    (a) A person commits reckless conduct when he or she, by any means lawful or unlawful, recklessly performs an act or acts that:
        (1) cause bodily harm to or endanger the safety of
    
another person; or
        (2) cause great bodily harm or permanent disability
    
or disfigurement to another person.
    (b) Sentence.
    Reckless conduct under subdivision (a)(1) is a Class A misdemeanor. Reckless conduct under subdivision (a)(2) is a Class 4 felony.
(Source: P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 44 cases (16 in the last 5 years), 1996–2025 · leading case: People v. Ford, 2016 IL App (3d) 130650 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016).
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People v. Ford, 2016 IL App (3d) 130650 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). · cites it 2× “He was later charged with one count of reckless conduct (720 ILCS 5/12-5(a) (West 2012)) for accelerating his vehicle toward the Peoria MEG unit van “when the two vehicles were close” and endangering the van’s driver.”
People v. Hartfield, 2022 IL 126729 (Ill. 2022). “To support this holding, we distinguished the offense of aggravated DUI from the offense of reckless conduct (720 ILCS 5/12-5) (West 1994)), which had previously been used to justify multiple convictions based on the injury of multiple persons in a single car crash.”
Mathias v. Accor Econ. Lodging, Inc., 347 F.3d 672 (7th Cir. 2003). · cites it 2× “” 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a). This is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year’s imprisonment or a fine of $2,500, or both.”
People v. Green, 2016 IL App (1st) 134011 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “720 ILCS 5/12-5 (West 2012). “Reckless conduct generally involves a lesser degree of risk than conduct that creates a strong probability of death or great bodily harm.”
People v. Lane, 2017 IL App (1st) 151988 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “” 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a)(1) (West 2014). ¶ 14 The domestic-battery charge expressly said that defendant performed an act (striking Austell in the head) and that the act “caused bodily harm.”
People v. Gay, 2011 IL App (4th) 100009 (Ill. App. Ct. 2011). “] 03-CF-172 to reckless conduct [(720 ILCS 5/12-5(a) (West 2000)) (a Class A misdemeanor)] and order a new sentencing hearing.”
Allstate Indem. Co. v. Hieber, 2014 IL App (1st) 132557 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). · cites it 3× “The insured was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and unlawful possession of a firearm without a firearm owner identification card, but he accepted a deal and pled guilty to reckless conduct (720 ILCS 5/12-5 (West 2000)). Pittington, 362 Ill.”
People v. Washington, 2019 IL App (1st) 161742 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). “05(e)(1) (West 2012). A person commits reckless conduct when he or she, “by any means lawful or unlawful, recklessly performs an act or acts” that “cause great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another person.”
Mathias v. Accor Econ. Lodging, 347 F.3d 672 (7th Cir. 2003). · cites it 2× “" 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a). This is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year's imprisonment or a fine of $2,500, or both.”
O'Neill v. Dir. of the Illinois Dep't of State Police, 2015 IL App (3d) 140011 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “¶4 BACKGROUND ¶5 In 1999, O’Neill pled guilty to battery (720 ILCS 5/12-3 (West 1998)) and reckless conduct (720 ILCS 5/12-5 (West 1998)) after being arrested for an incident involving domestic violence; O’Neill punched his son.”
People v. Willett, 2015 IL App (4th) 130702 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “¶2 Defendant appeals, arguing that he was denied a fair trial because the trial court (1) allowed the State to argue an incorrect legal definition of "knowingly" during its closing argument without permitting defense counsel to argue the correct definition, (2) refused to…”
People v. Fornear, 669 N.E.2d 939 (Ill. App. Ct. 1996). “) 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a) (West 1992). The issues instructions given to the jury in the present case were consistent with these statutory elements.”
Show all 44 citing cases →
— 720 ILCS 5/12-5(1) — 1 case
People v. Caldwell, 2023 IL App (1st) 201375-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2023).
— 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a) — 15 cases
People v. Ford, 2016 IL App (3d) 130650 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “He was later charged with one count of reckless conduct (720 ILCS 5/12-5(a) (West 2012)) for accelerating his vehicle toward the Peoria MEG unit van “when the two vehicles were close” and endangering the van’s driver.”
Mathias v. Accor Econ. Lodging, Inc., 347 F.3d 672 (7th Cir. 2003). “” 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a). This is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year’s imprisonment or a fine of $2,500, or both.”
People v. Gay, 2011 IL App (4th) 100009 (Ill. App. Ct. 2011). “] 03-CF-172 to reckless conduct [(720 ILCS 5/12-5(a) (West 2000)) (a Class A misdemeanor)] and order a new sentencing hearing.”
People v. Fornear, 669 N.E.2d 939 (Ill. App. Ct. 1996). “) 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a) (West 1992). The issues instructions given to the jury in the present case were consistent with these statutory elements.”
People v. Martin, 927 N.E.2d 877 (Ill. App. Ct. 2010).
— 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a)(1) — 12 cases
People v. Lane, 2017 IL App (1st) 151988 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “” 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a)(1) (West 2014). ¶ 14 The domestic-battery charge expressly said that defendant performed an act (striking Austell in the head) and that the act “caused bodily harm.”
People v. Matias, 2023 IL App (2d) 220445-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2023).
Davis v. Vill. of Maywood, 2023 IL App (1st) 211373 (Ill. App. Ct. 2023).
People v. Gonzalez, 2015 IL App (1st) 132452 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015).
People v. Brodersen, 2022 IL App (2d) 210230-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2022).
— 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a)(2) — 5 cases
People v. Washington, 2019 IL App (1st) 161742 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). “05(e)(1) (West 2012). A person commits reckless conduct when he or she, “by any means lawful or unlawful, recklessly performs an act or acts” that “cause great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another person.”
Philadelphia Indem. Ins. Co. v. Pace Suburban Bus Serv., 2016 IL App (1st) 151659 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017).
Philadelphia Indem. Ins. Co. v. Pace Suburban Bus Serv., 2016 IL App (1st) 151659 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016).
Brown v. Madison Cnty. Sheriff's Off. (S.D. Ill. 2022).
People v. Wisner, 2025 IL App (2d) 240263-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2025).
— 720 ILCS 5/12-5(b) — 3 cases
Mathias v. Accor Econ. Lodging, Inc., 347 F.3d 672 (7th Cir. 2003). “” 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a). This is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year’s imprisonment or a fine of $2,500, or both.”
Mathias v. Accor Econ. Lodging, 347 F.3d 672 (7th Cir. 2003). “" 720 ILCS 5/12-5(a). This is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year's imprisonment or a fine of $2,500, or both.”
People v. Bautista, 2025 IL App (1st) 231267-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2025).
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