Atlanta Man Hijacks MARTA Bus

Atlanta Lenwood Jackson Justice Center

Atlanta, Ga. - According to reports out of Downtown Atlanta, a man wielding a hammer as a weapon hijacked a MARTA bus this afternoon.

Earlier today, a man who boarded a local MARTA bus used a hammer to threaten the bus driver. The driver pulled the bus over on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard and everyone got off of the bus except for the suspect. The man then drive the vehicle to the North Avenue loop. It was there that he was stopped and arrested by police.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the crime of hijacking a motor vehicle in the state of Georgia in today's post.

Hijacking a Motor Vehicle in Georgia

Hijacking a Motor Vehicle in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. §16-5-44 as:

A person commits the offense of hijacking a motor vehicle when such person while in possession of a fireman or weapon obtains a motor vehicle from the person or presence of another by force and violence or intimidation or attempts or conspires to do so.

To be accused of committing the crime of hijacking a motor vehicle, a weapon must be involved. Georgia law defines a weapon as “an object, device, or instrument which when used against a person is likely to or actually does result in serious bodily injury or death”. Also included under the definition of a weapon are replicas or other devices that have the appearance of a weapon as defined by the statute.

Hijacking a motor vehicle is classified as a felony in Georgia. The penalty for hijacking a motor vehicle is a prison term for no less than 10 and no more than 20 years and a fine between $10,000.00 and $100,000.00. However, if the accused already has a prior conviction for hijacking, then the consequences are much more severe. In that situation, the penalty would be life in prison and a fine between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00. The previous hijacking conviction does not have to be from a Georgia court. The conviction can be from any other state or country as long as the offense would be considered hijacking in Georgia.

Practice Note

Call our offices today if you or a loved one has been arrested in the state of Georgia.