New York Consolidated Laws
N.Y. Penal Law § 120.04 (2026)
Vehicular assault in the first degree
✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 120.04 Vehicular assault in the first degree. A person is guilty of vehicular assault in the first degree when he or she commits the crime of vehicular assault in the second degree as defined in section 120.03 of this article, and either: (1) commits such crime while operating a motor vehicle while such person has .18 of one per centum or more by weight of alcohol in such person's blood as shown by chemical analysis of such person's blood, breath, urine or saliva made pursuant to the provisions of section eleven hundred ninety-four of the vehicle and traffic law; (2) commits such crime while knowing or having reason to know that: (a) his or her license or his or her privilege of operating a motor vehicle in another state or his or her privilege of obtaining a license to operate a motor vehicle in another state is suspended or revoked and such suspension or revocation is based upon a conviction in such other state for an offense which would, if committed in this state, constitute a violation of any of the provisions of section eleven hundred ninety-two of the vehicle and traffic law; or (b) his or her license or his or her privilege of operating a motor vehicle in the state or his or her privilege of obtaining a license issued by the commissioner of motor vehicles is suspended or revoked and such suspension or revocation is based upon either a refusal to submit to a chemical test pursuant to section eleven hundred ninety-four of the vehicle and traffic law or following a conviction for a violation of any of the provisions of section eleven hundred ninety-two of the vehicle and traffic law; (3) has previously been convicted of violating any of the provisions of section eleven hundred ninety-two of the vehicle and traffic law within the preceding ten years, provided that, for the purposes of this subdivision, a conviction in any other state or jurisdiction for an offense which, if committed in this state, would constitute a violation of section eleven hundred ninety-two of the vehicle and traffic law, shall be treated as a violation of such law; (4) causes serious physical injury to more than one other person; (5) has previously been convicted of violating any provision of this article or article one hundred twenty-five of this title involving the operation of a motor vehicle, or was convicted in any other state or jurisdiction of an offense involving the operation of a motor vehicle which, if committed in this state, would constitute a violation of this article or article one hundred twenty-five of this title; (6) commits such crime while operating a motor vehicle while a child who is fifteen years of age or less is a passenger in such motor vehicle and causes serious physical injury to such child; or (7) commits such crime while operating a vessel in violation of paragraph (e-1) of subdivision two of section forty-nine-a of the navigation law while a child who is fifteen years of age or less is a passenger in such vessel and causes serious physical injury to such child. If it is established that the person operating such motor vehicle caused such serious physical injury or injuries while unlawfully intoxicated or impaired by the use of alcohol or a drug, or by the combined influence of drugs or of alcohol and any drug or drugs, then there shall be a rebuttable presumption that, as a result of such intoxication or impairment by the use of alcohol or a drug, or by the combined influence of drugs or of alcohol and any drug or drugs, such person operated the motor vehicle in a manner that caused such serious physical injury or injuries, as required by this section and section 120.03 of this article. Vehicular assault in the first degree is a class D felony.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 25
cases (7 in the last 5 years), 1988–2024 · leading case: People v. Valencia, 932 N.E.2d 871 (N.Y. 2010).
People v. Valencia, 932 N.E.2d 871 (N.Y. 2010). “03), a class E felony punishable by a maximum indeterminate sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison, to a class D felony punishable by a prison term of up to 2 1/3 to 7 years when a person causes serious physical injury to another individual while operating a vehicle with a blood…”
People v. Ferguson, 2021 NY Slip Op 02563 (N.Y. App. Div. 2021). “For defendant's conviction of vehicular assault in the first degree under count 9 of the indictment, the People had to prove that defendant committed vehicular assault in the second degree and that he had been convicted of violating Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192 within the…”
People v. Extale, 967 N.E.2d 179 (N.Y. 2012). “10 (!)]) and first degree vehicular assault (with criminal negligence, causing serious physical injury while driving while intoxicated, in the presence of certain aggravating factors [Penal Law § 120.04 (1), (2) (b); see former Penal Law § 120.”
People v. Thurston, 2022 NY Slip Op 05443 (N.Y. App. Div. 2022). “Both the certificate of conviction and the uniform sentence and commitment form erroneously state that defendant was convicted of aggravated vehicular assault under Penal Law § 120.04 (4), and both should therefore be amended to correctly reflect that defendant was convicted of…”
People v. Mahy, 305 A.D.2d 856 (N.Y. App. Div. 2003). “As the result of a motor vehicle accident which caused serious physical injury, defendant was indicted on six counts including vehicular assault in the first degree (see Penal Law § 120.04) and assault in the second degree (see Penal Law § 120.”
People v. Snow, 138 A.D.2d 217 (N.Y. App. Div. 1988). “13, added by L 1985, ch 507), and similarly amended the vehicular assault provisions (Penal Law § 120.04, added by L 1985, ch 507).”
Allen v. New York State Dep't of Motor Vehs., 45 Misc. 3d 475 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2014). “Among those cited are the following: Vehicle and Traffic Law §§ 1193 (1) (a), (c) (i), (ii); (1) (d) (2), (4) (i), (ii); (2) (b) (12) (a), (d); 1194 (2) (d) (1); 1198 (3) (a); Penal Law §§ 120.04 (3); 120.04-a (3); 125.”
People v. Marino, 99 A.D.3d 726 (N.Y. App. Div. 2012). “04-a [1]), vehicular assault in the first degree (Penal Law § 120.04 [1]), aggravated driving while intoxicated (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192 [2-a] [a]), reckless driving (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1212), operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (Vehicle…”
People v. Swain, 2021 NY Slip Op 01430 (N.Y. App. Div. 2021). “The defendant immediately thereafter pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular assault in the first degree (Penal Law § 120.04) and one count of driving while intoxicated (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192[3]).”
People v. Sarver, 2022 NY Slip Op 04515 (N.Y. App. Div. 2022). “Memorandum: On appeal from a judgment convicting him upon his plea of guilty of, inter alia, vehicular assault in the first degree (Penal Law § 120.04 [2] [b]), defendant contends that his waiver of the right to appeal is invalid and that his sentence is unduly harsh and severe.”
People v. Kitt, 102 A.D.3d 984 (N.Y. App. Div. 2013). “” The results of the breathalyzer test are a critical part of the People’s case, since the top count of the indictment charged the defendant with vehicular assault in the first degree (see Penal Law § 120.04 [1]). Moreover, although the defendant has been released from prison,…”
People v. Sarver, 2022 NY Slip Op 04515 (N.Y. App. Div. 2022). “Memorandum: On appeal from a judgment convicting him upon his plea of guilty of, inter alia, vehicular assault in the first degree (Penal Law § 120.04 [2] [b]), defendant contends that his waiver of the right to appeal is invalid and that his sentence is unduly harsh and severe.”
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