Many states have passed laws making it against the law to interfere with an emergency call, including Oklahoma. While this can most often happen in a domestic violence situation, it also can occur after a vehicular accident, or during the commission of just about any crime.
Defining the Crime
It is a misdemeanor in Oklahoma to intentionally interfere, interrupt or impede anyone who is attempting to, or is in the process of, making or placing an emergency telephone call. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1211.1
What Rises to the Level of Interference?
Interference can mean to obstruct, meddle, prevent, hinder, block, hold back, or to deter. In a domestic situation, it often occurs like this: Two people begin to argue, the argument gets heated, and at one point one of the partners reaches over to call 911 or the police and the other partner takes their phone away. The crime was committed when the phone was taken away.
The interference must be intentional to rise to the level of a criminal act. Accidentally turning and causing the other person to drop the phone doesn’t rise to the level of a crime.
But even verbally intimidating another person into hanging up the call may be enough to constitute interference with an emergency call if done so in a manner that puts the other in fear and causes them to hang up the phone as a result. Once someone starts to make a call for emergency services, or begins the attempt to do so, it is a crime to stop that process. This includes hanging up, breaking the phone, blocking access to the phone, intimidating the other into not making the call, cutting phone wires, or any other action that may interfere with the call.
The crime is punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $3,000, or both.
Get The Help You Need
There are always two sides to the story, and facts are very important in these cases. And the timing of what was said and what occurred can be crucial in these cases.
An experienced Tulsa attorney can help a judge understand what happened from your point of view and can help you understand all of your legal options. Make that call today.
Initial Consultation: Tulsa Criminal Defense Attorney
If you or someone you know is accused of interfering with an emergency call in Oklahoma, please contact a Tulsa criminal misdemeanor defense attorney to discuss your available legal options.
Consult with an experienced attorney at the Tulsa Criminal Defense Law Firm today, by calling (918) 756-9600, or toll-free at (888) 447-7262.
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