Federal courts have repeatedly held that a motor vehicle can constitute a deadly weapon when used against officers.
United States v. Anchrum, 590 F.3d 795 (9th Cir. 2009)
United States v. Sanchez, 914 F.3d 1355 (11th Cir. 2019)
Use of Deadly Force Standard
Law enforcement is permitted to use deadly force when an officer has probable cause to believe a suspect poses an immediate threat of serious bodily harm or death.
Tennessee v. Garner, 471 U.S. 1 (1985)
Objective Reasonableness Standard
Use of force is judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, not with hindsight.
Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989)
Obstruction & Assault of Federal Officers
18 U.S.C. 111 Assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers
18 U.S.C. 1501 Obstruction of federal process
Failure to Comply During Lawful Detention
Refusal to comply during a lawful federal enforcement action escalates legal exposure and justifies force escalation when safety is threatened.
DOJ Use-of-Force Policy (Revised 20212024)
That which does not kill me, will try again and get nastier