Which statement best distinguishes aggravated assault from simple assault?

• A. Simple assault involves no injury or threat of injury.
• B. Simple assault involves the use of a deadly weapon.
• C. Both assaults involve the same elements.
• D. Aggravated assault involves serious bodily injury or use of a deadly weapon.

Answer: (D)

Distinguishing factors between the two offenses are the severity of harm and the involvement of a weapon. Aggravated assault is charged when the offender causes serious bodily injury or uses a deadly weapon. Those elements raise the offense beyond simple assault, which involves lesser harm and typically no deadly weapon. For example, a serious injury like a broken bone or a gun being used qualifies as aggravated, whereas simple assault can involve threats or minor injuries without a weapon. The other statements miss how the offenses are defined: simple assault does not automatically require no injury nor involve a deadly weapon, and the two offenses do not share the same elements.