West Virginia Code 61-6-20 – Falsely reporting an emergency incident
A person is guilty of reporting a false emergency incident when knowing the information reported, conveyed or circulated is false or baseless, he
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 61-6-20
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
(1) Initiates or circulates a false report or warning of or impending occurrence of a fire, explosion, crime, catastrophe, accident, illness or other emergency under circumstances in which it is likely that public alarm or inconvenience will result or that firefighting apparatus, ambulance apparatus, one or more rescue vehicles or other emergency apparatus might be summoned; or
(2) Reports, by word or action, to any official or quasi-official agency or organization having the function of dealing with emergencies involving danger to life or property, an alleged occurrence or impending occurrence of a fire, explosion, crime, catastrophe, accident, illness or other emergency in which it is likely that public alarm or inconvenience will result or that firefighting apparatus, ambulance apparatus, one or more rescue vehicles or other emergency apparatus might be summoned, which did not occur, does not in fact exist; or
(3) Reports to a law-enforcement officer or agency the alleged occurrence of any offense or incident which did not in fact occur or an allegedly impending occurrence of an offense or incident which is not in fact about to occur or false information relating to an actual offense or incident or to the alleged implication of some person therein; or
(4) Without just cause, calls or summons by telephone, fire alarm system or otherwise, any firefighting apparatus, ambulance apparatus, rescue vehicles or other emergency vehicles.
Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500 or confined in the county jail not more than six months, or both fined and confined.