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Everybody Get Footloose

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Footloose is a classic movie with a very catchy song. Under Texas Law, it also has a few criminal actions.

Standing between two moving cars on a highway is undoubtedly unsafe and probably constitutes reckless driving. A person commits the offense of reckless driving if they drive a vehicle in a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property under TRC § 545.401. An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $200 and/or confinement in jail for not more than 30 days.

There appears to be a fight going on between the boys. While we did not see any actual punches thrown it could be assault if there were. Assault is where a person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another.

In the alternative to assault, we do see them restraining Kevin Bacon during this clip. Unlawful restraint under Texas Penal Code § 20.02 occurs when a person intentionally or knowingly restrains another person. This crime would be a felony of the third degree when the actor recklessly exposes the victim to a substantial risk of serious bodily injury.

The very iconic scene of Kevin Bacon dancing through the warehouse is most likely an act of trespass. One has committed the offense of criminal trespass when he enters or remains on the property of another without consent and he had notice that the entry was forbidden under Texas Penal Code § 30.05.

We also see some potential attempts to flee the officers in this clip. A person commits the offense of evading arrest when he intentionally flees from a person he knows is a peace officer attempting to lawfully arrest or detain him. Tex. Pen. Code § 38.04.

Bashing someone's headlights in can also be considered a crime. The crime of criminal mischief occurs when a person intentionally or knowingly tampers with the tangible property of the owner without the owner's consent.