Destruction of motor vehicles or motor vehicle facilities
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a) Whoever , with intent to endanger the safety of any person on board or anyone who he believes will board the same, or with a for the safety of human life, damages, disables, destroys, tampers with, or places or causes to be placed any explosive or other destructive substance in, upon, or in proximity to, any motor vehicle which is used, operated, or employed in , or its cargo or material used or intended to be used in connection with its operation; or
Whoever , with like intent, damages, disables, destroys, sets fire to, tampers with, or places or causes to be placed any explosive or other destructive substance in, upon, or in proximity to any garage, terminal, structure, supply, or facility used in the operation of, or in support of the operation of, motor vehicles engaged in or otherwise makes or causes such property to be made unworkable, unusable, or hazardous to work or use; or
Whoever, with like intent, disables or incapacitates any driver or person employed in connection with the operation or maintenance of the motor vehicle, or in any way lessens the ability of such person to perform his duties as such; or
Whoever or to do any of the aforesaid acts—
shall be or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(b) Whoever is convicted of a violation of subsection (a) involving a motor vehicle that, at the time the violation occurred, carried high-level radioactive waste (as that term is defined in section 2(12) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101(12))) or spent nuclear fuel (as that term is defined in section 2(23) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101(23))), shall be and imprisoned for any term of years not less than 30, or for life.
History: (Added July 14, 1956, ch. 595, §1, 70 Stat. 540; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB); Pub. L. 104–88, title IV, §402(a), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 955; Pub. L. 109–177, title IV, §406(c)(1), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 245.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to deliberately damage, tamper with, or plant explosives on or near a motor vehicle used in interstate or foreign commerce (such as a truck or bus crossing state lines), or its cargo. It also covers attacks on garages, terminals, and other facilities that support these vehicles, and disabling or harming drivers or workers. The act must be meant to endanger people or show reckless disregard for human life.