Posted on 12/13/2025 8:01:30 AM PST by Morgana
A grieving uncle reportedly took the law into his own hands after growing furious over the handling of a case involving the accused killer of his nephew.
CBS News Colorado obtained police documents on Wednesday, which showed that a 36-year-old Aurora man named Daniel Alexander Ashby attended a court hearing inside the Arapahoe County Courthouse in Littleton, Colorado, earlier this week for 19-year-old Christopher Ramirez-Rodriguez.
The teen is accused of running a red light and killing Ashby’s 12-year-old nephew in July. Police say the Ashby’s nephew was crossing the road on his electric scooter at the time of the incident.
Ramirez-Rodriguez was charged with careless driving resulting in death.
During the hearing, Ashby became enraged at one point and approached H. Michael Steinberg, the 69-year-old defense lawyer defending Ramirez-Rodriguez. Police say Ashby was trying to see the defendant.
The lawyer pushed Ashby back to get him out of his way before the uncle retaliated.
Ashby proceeded to allegedly body slam Steinberg with an MMA-style takedown, leaving him unconscious with a fractured spine.
According to CBS News Colorado, there is no video of the attack.
Steinberg was transported to the hospital following the incident. Surgery was scheduled for Thursday.
Steinberg sent an email to CBS Colorado on Tuesday and said that he had suffered a shattered pelvis in addition to his spinal injury and was in “serious pain.”
Authorities arrested Ashby and charged him with second-degree assault. He is being held on $75,000 bond.
Michael Ashby, Daniel’s brother, spoke to CBS News Colorado following the incident and expressed his displeasure with the judicial system.
While Michael did personally witness the incident, he and the entire Ashby family had been attending court hearings for the driver who allegedly hit and killed his son.
“The whole family is frustrated with this legal system,” said Michael Ashby.
Ashby also revealed that there has been considerable conflict between his family and Ramirez-Rodriguez’s family, perhaps foreshadowing this unfortunate incident.
The judge had previously warned both families against “taking justice into their own hands.”
If you want revenge...go after the perp. Certainly not in a public space. The uncle , although the rage is understandable, went out of control.
The lawyer underestimated the fury of the uncle. Bad decision also.
I hope the judge understands that ultimately, he or she, governs by the consent of the governed. The judge should not rule by “restorative” justice delusions.
also known as restorative justice....
When the output of the State's monopoly on violence has strayed as far from justice as it has, things like this are to be expected.
This imported maggot ran a red light to kill the 12 year old boy who was on his scooter. His uncle assulated this maggot’s lawyer
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Christopher Ramirez-Rodriguez, a 19-year-old driver, is accused of careless driving resulting in death after fatally striking a 12-year-old boy on an electric scooter. The incident occurred on July 19, when Ramirez-Rodriguez failed to stop for a red light while the boy was crossing the intersection. The boy was later taken to the hospital but died from his injuries. Ramirez-Rodriguez remains cooperative with the investigation, and the case is ongoing.
Law & Crime
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I have to hold comment without more information about the circumstances of the teen crossing the road.
I've seen many electric scooter riders and spandex clad bicycle riders blow through intersections as if traffic rules only pertain to cars&trucks.
Please tell us all which of the attorneys you listed physically pushed (assaulted, in legal parlance) an already aggravated individual.
If someone pushes me, I’ll push back too, and I’m much closer to 73 than 72.
Maybe that 69 year old lawyer (youngster to me) shouldn’t have pushed him in the first place; he initiated the contact, and got contacted back. This sounds like a case of self defense to me.
They should charge both parties if the lawyer laid hands on him first. Even if the uncle did more harm.
AI sez>>>>>
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Thanks for sharing the details. Based on what you’ve provided, here’s a careful breakdown:
Christopher Ramirez-Rodriguez, at 19 years old, is charged with careless driving resulting in death. This is generally considered a misdemeanor or lower-level felony, depending on Colorado law and the circumstances (speeding, recklessness, prior record, etc.).
In Colorado, the typical penalties for careless driving resulting in death are:
Class 4 felony (if charged as a felony): up to 6 years in prison and fines up to $500,000, plus license suspension.
Misdemeanor: usually up to 1 year in county jail and fines, plus license suspension.
Since he’s 19, the judge might also consider youth, lack of criminal history, and potential for rehabilitation. Often in these cases:
Probation is possible, especially if there’s no prior record.
Short-term jail or community corrections might be imposed instead of long-term prison.
Restitution to the victim’s family is usually ordered.
Driver’s license suspension for several months to a few years is likely.
Prediction: Given the age (19), if this is his first offense and it’s purely careless driving without gross recklessness (like DUI or extreme speeding), the sentence might lean toward probation with community service, mandatory driving courses, and a short jail term—likely less than a year in county jail. If there are aggravating factors, it could be 1–3 years in prison.
That is what (in criminal law terminology) is defined as aggravated assault.
The crazed uncle must be a hot head. Maybe he should have his jets cooled for him.
John Adams was a defense attorney. Founding father who represented British soldiers.
I never said I was OK with this.
I did agree with another FReeper that he should have gotten security to move him and not done it himself. By doing that he walked right into this powder keg.
Yes and he got them found not guilty.
Life can be tough sometimes counselor.
The ar-tards that currently occupy this forum don’t want an American revolution, they want a French revolution. They won’t be happy until their blood lust is quenched.
Nazi prison guards tortured and killed innocent people without trial, so an innocent defense attorney needs to be tortured and killed without trial because, nazis and hitler and stuff.
Like I said, I did not say I was OK with this. I just though the lawyer would have better sense and get security to deal with the man knowing how angry the family of the deceased would be.
Lawyers are suppose to be intelligent and at his age he should have known better.
Thug needs to be put in a cell block with a bunch of Mexican gang members.
Notice he was too chicken to take on the defendant, he had to pick on an old man.
The lawyer pushed Ashby back to get him out of his way... That is what (in criminal law terminology) is defined as aggravated assault.
No, it isn't. If you really are a lawyer, time to surrender your license.
For the other ignorant folks here, in most jurisdictions that would be, at most, simple battery. And the lawyer might have a defense that the violent thug committed assault on him first.
“According to CBS News Colorado, there is no video of the attack.”
Five witnesses stated that he tripped over the chair leg.
End of issue.
“Police say Ashby was trying to see the defendant.
The lawyer pushed Ashby back to get him out of his way before the uncle retaliated.
Ashby proceeded to allegedly body slam Steinberg with an MMA-style takedown, leaving him unconscious with a fractured spine.”
Looks like the attorney made the first physical contact.
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