Interfering with an emergency call is a crime is Muskogee, Oklahoma. Although interfering with an emergency call in Oklahoma is a misdemeanor, it often accompanies more serious charges.
What is Interfering with an Emergency Call?
When a person calls 911, they are most often in serious need of help. And while we would like to believe that we would all volunteer to help a person in need of it, there are situations in which a person may choose to interfere with a call being made to emergency services.
A number of states have begun passing laws to protect victims who are calling for emergency services.
In Oklahoma, it is a crime for a person to intentionally interrupt, impede, or interfere with anyone who is attempting to or is in the process of placing an emergency telephone call. This law is designed to prevent people from interfering once someone has started to reach out for help. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1211.1
This most often happens in a domestic abuse situation. An irate partner may pull a phone out of the wall or smash a cell phone rather than have their partner call for help.
If the partner has reached for the phone or has started dialing, it is unlawful to impede or interfere with that call in any way. Though you may want to stop the call, if you do, you could go to jail for it.
Penalties
If convicted of interfering with an emergency call in Oklahoma, you could face a jail term of up to one year, a fine of up to $3,000, or both.
This charge often accompanies a domestic assault and battery charge, but not always. And in most cases, if the domestic situation has gotten out of control, it is best to allow a third party to calm things down.
Low-cost Consultation: Muskogee Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you are being investigated or have already been charged with interfering with an emergency call in Oklahoma, contact an experienced Muskogee criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible to protect your legal rights.
Call Wirth Law Office – Muskogee today at 918-913-0725 or toll free at 1-888-447-7262 [Wirth Law].
