OPINION
Appellant Rosie Carrillo was found guilty, after a jury trial, of aggravated assault, a dangerous class three felony, in violation of A.R.S. §§ 13-1204(A)(2) and (B), -1203(A)(1), -701, -702, -801, -604(K). Several mitigating circumstances were found and the court imposed the minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.
On appeal, appellant argues that the trial court erred in failing to grant appellant’s motion for judgment of acquittal, that the trial court erred in failing to give appellant’s requested instruction No. 2 dealing with the use of an automobile as a deadly weapon and that her motion for mistrial *470 should have been granted based on prejudicial prosecutorial misconduct relative to certain comments by the prosecutor during closing arguments.
Reviewing the evidence in a light most favorable to sustaining the jury’s verdict,
State v. Dickey,
Relying on
State v. Reim,
A judgment of acquittal is proper only where there is no substantial evidence to warrant a conviction.
State v. Puryear,
Next, appellant argues that the trial court erred in failing to give her requested instruction No. 2. The instruction stated:
In order to find the Defendant guilty of assault using a deadly weapon in which the alleged weapon is an automobile, the state must present evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the vehicle was “aimed” at the victim and that the Defendant actually intended to use the automobile as a deadly weapon and unless you are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the Defendant aimed the automobile at the victim and actually intended to use the automobile as a deadly weapon, then you must find the Defendant not guilty.
This instruction was based on State v. Reim and State v. Balderrama, which were cases involving Arizona’s former assault with a deadly weapon statute (A.R.S. § 13-249). The trial court ruled that the instruction was adequately covered in other instructions and that the cases cited were not applicable to the present criminal code. We agree with the trial court.
*471 Appellant was charged with aggravated assault in violation of A.R.S. §§ 13-1203(A)(1) and -1204(A)(2). Using the language of the statutes, the court properly instructed the jury that:
A person commits assault if such person, acting intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly, causes any physical injury to another person.
A person commits aggravated assault if such person commits assault as previously defined in these instructions and if such person uses a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument.
Dangerous instrument means anything that under the circumstances in which it is used, attempted to be used, or threatened to be used is readily capable of causing death or serious physical injury.
The last paragraph, defining dangerous instrument, is taken directly from A.R.S. § 13-105(7). A special interrogatory was given to the jury asking whether they found that the crime involved the use of a dangerous instrument to which they responded “yes”. Thus, we believe the jury was adequately instructed on the definition of aggravated assault and dangerous instrument as charged in the information.
In addition, because State v. Reim and State v. Balderrama involve Arizona’s former assault with a deadly weapon statute which was a specific intent crime, they are inapplicable here. Assault under A.R.S. § 13-1203 includes “knowingly, or recklessly” causing physical injury to another person and therefore does not require the specific intent to use the automobile as a deadly weapon or instrument as in Reim and Balderrama. The trial court correctly refused to give appellant’s requested instruction.
Finally, during closing arguments, the prosecutor for the state made comments regarding appellant trying to “kill” the victim. Appellant argues that this was prejudicial prosecutorial misconduct, and that because of such misconduct, the trial court erred in denying appellant’s motion for mistrial. As noted by appellee, counsel may comment on the evidence presented and any reasonable inferences therefrom during closing argument.
State v. Marvin,
For the reasons stated, the judgment and sentence are affirmed.
