People use stereotypes because they are easy. When it comes to crime and the criminal justice system, many people in Columbia probably use some stereotypes when it comes to thinking about who causes crime in the city. Of course, it is criminals.

The reality is that it may be easier than most believe to become entangled with the Columbia Police Department and be arrested. Whether you are a day laborer, doctor, a professor at the university, there is always the risk when you drink any type of alcohol.

You could lose track of the number of drinks you may have consumed and while operating a motor vehicle end up involved in an accident, or simply be pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving.

Operating a motor vehicle also brings with it the possibility of being involved in a road rage incident that could lead to very serious criminal charges should the situation get out of hand and a deadly crash or other altercation ensue.

If you are quick to anger, there are many possibilities for felony charges, should you become involved in an argument or fight that turns serious, with knives, guns or other weapons present.

There are “crimes of passion,” which may result in serious felonies, should someone wind up being severely injured or killed. A woman in Columbia is now facing two felony charges after allegedly stabbing another woman she discovered with her “romantic partner.”

While we all like to believe we are “good people,” and that such an incident could never occur, people are unpredictable and the line between a so-called good person and someone looking at a felony charge can sometimes be very thindeed.

Source: columbiatribune.com, “Jealous rage suspected as assault motive,” March 1, 2016