Utah Teen Accomplice to a Crime

18 year old Meagan Grunwald, a Utah teen facing 30 years to life in prison, knows all too well how being an accomplice to a crime is nearly as bad as pulling the trigger herself.

Getaway driver

Grunwald was the getaway driver for her much older boyfriend who went on a 50 mile crime spree in January of 2014, which left one Utah officer dead and another seriously injured. Although Grunwald only drove the car and didn’t ever touch the gun used in the crime, under Utah accomplice liability statute, she was charged with crimes including aggravated murder because being the driver helped her now deceased boyfriend commit the crimes.

Accomplice liability

Utah Code 76-2-202 regarding responsibility for those who directly commit the crime and for any accomplice to a crime states: “every person, acting with the mental state required for the commission of an offense who directly commits the offense, who solicits, requests, commands, encourages, or intentionally aids another person to engage in conduct which constitutes an offense shall be criminally liable as a party for such conduct.”

Not always seen as an innocent bystander

Buying spray paint for a friend who uses it to tag a building, driving a friend around who is in possession or is selling drugs, or watching for security while a friend shoplifts are just a few ways in which a teen can become an accomplice to a crime. When teens are around others who are breaking the law, lack of direct involvement is not enough to keep them out of trouble. Teens need to be taught to stay clear of any misconduct, and report it as soon as possible to police lest they be charged with being an accomplice to a crime. If your teen is facing accomplice charges for being with the wrong group at the wrong time, contact a juvenile defense attorney immediately.