2006 Code of Virginia § 18.2-153 - Obstructing or injuring canal, railroad, power line, etc

18.2-153. Obstructing or injuring canal, railroad, power line, etc.

If any person maliciously obstruct, remove or injure any part of a canal,railroad or urban, suburban or interurban electric railway, or any lines ofany electric power company, or any bridge or fixture thereof, or maliciouslyobstruct, tamper with, injure or remove any machinery, engine, car, trolley,supply or return wires or any other work thereof, or maliciously open, close,displace, tamper with or injure any switch, switch point, switch lever,signal lever or signal of any such company, whereby the life of any person onsuch canal, railroad, urban, suburban or interurban electric railway, is putin peril, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony; and, in the event of thedeath of any such person resulting from such malicious act, the person sooffending shall be deemed guilty of murder, the degree to be determined bythe jury or the court trying the case without a jury.

If any such act be committed unlawfully, but not maliciously, the person sooffending shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony; and in the event of the deathof any such person resulting from such unlawful act, the person so offendingshall be deemed guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

(Code 1950, 18.1-147; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.)