California · Harbors and Navigation Code - HNC

HNC §654.5: A person who maliciously throws, hurls, or projects an object by manual, mechanical, or other means at a vessel or an occupant of a vessel on any of the waters within or bordering on this state, which

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

A person who maliciously throws or projects an object at a vessel or its occupant on state waters commits a misdemeanor, punishable by fines and/or county jail time that increase with repeat convictions.

Read the full statutory text
A person who maliciously throws, hurls, or projects an object by manual, mechanical, or other means at a vessel or an occupant of a vessel on any of the waters within or bordering on this state, which act does not constitute a violation of either Section 242 or 594 of the Penal Code, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon first conviction the punishment shall be a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed 30 days, or both that fine and imprisonment. Upon a second conviction, the punishment shall be a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) or imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed 90 days, or both that fine and imprisonment. Upon a third or subsequent conviction, the punishment shall be a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed one year, or both that fine and imprisonment.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.