Vehicle hijacking, offense of
Vehicle hijacking is when someone uses or threatens physical force to take a vehicle away from the person who has it. This is normally a serious crime (class B felony). It becomes an even more serious crime (class A felony) if someone gets badly hurt, if the person doing it has a weapon, if a child or vulnerable person is in the vehicle, or if a weapon is shown or threatened during the crime.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
570.027. Vehicle hijacking, of — penalties. — 1. A person commits the offense of vehicle hijacking when he or she uses or threatens the use of physical force upon another person to seize or attempt to seize possession or control of a vehicle, as defined in section 302.010, from the immediate possession or control of another person.
2. The offense of vehicle hijacking is a unless it meets one of the criteria listed in 3 of this section.
3. The offense of vehicle hijacking is a if, in the course thereof, a person or another :
(1) Causes to any person in immediate possession, control, or presence of the vehicle;
(2) Is armed with a ;
(3) Uses or threatens the immediate use of a against any person;
(4) Displays or threatens the use of what appears to be a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument; or
(5) Seizes a vehicle, or attempts to seize a vehicle, in which a child or as defined in section 565.002 is present.
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Source & history notes
(L. 2020 S.B. 600)
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