People v. Padilla

Defendant was convicted of two counts of vehicular invasion, two counts of domestic battery, and one count of aggravated domestic battery, and the trial court, after merging two counts, sentenced defendant to 30 years in prison. Defendant argued on appeal that he was not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of vehicular invasion. The appellate court affirmed, finding that the State met its burden where defendant was indicted and convicted on vehicular invasion by reaching and not entering the vehicle and that the reaching into the vehicle, which was simultaneous with a stabbing, met the definition of “force” under the vehicular invasion statute. (BIRKETT and KENNEDY, concurring)