Burglary with an Assault or Battery is a felony punishable by life in prison in the State of Florida.
What that means is that if somebody commits a burglary and if during that burglary the offender commits an assault or battery, that offender can be sentenced up to life in prison.
However, a burglary can occur in a car (conveyance) just as easily as it can occur in a home (dwelling) or non-residential building (structure).
If you reach into somebody's occupied vehicle and commit an assault or battery against an occupant of that vehicle, you can be charged with Burglary with an Assault or Battery.
That means that if you reach through a car's open window and touch or strike the driver or a passenger, you can face life in prison.
Burglary with an Assault or Battery often occurs during incidents on the road, where one driver gets out of their vehicle and then reaches into the vehicle of another driver.
Even if the touching is minimal and there is no injury, you can still go to prison for life in Florida simply for reaching into an occupied vehicle.
You can also find yourself held in custody without a bond because in Florida, felonies punishable by law are not eligible for a bond.
A simply misunderstanding or an impulsive act can absolutely turn your life upside down.
Contact me if you or a loved one are facing Burglary With an Assault or Battery charges.
Eric Matheny is a criminal defense attorney serving South Florida.