I don’t know how many times I have written a blog about somebody getting caught in Greeley for committing a crime after they posted the evidence on social media. But once again, here are some words of wisdom: law enforcement agencies have figured out that people do this and are watching! It seems like common sense to me, but apparently it needs to be said over and over. Stop airing your dirty laundry on the internet! Hopefully it’s not too late for you, but it is too late for one woman who thought she had everything figured out. The woman had been drinking at a local bar and was too intoxicated to legally drive herself home, so she concocted a plan. She called 911 and reported that she was being attacked in the parking lot of the bar. Her plan was to have this call on record, so if she was pulled over while driving home, she could claim that it was necessary for her to drive because she was in fear for her life. She made it home safely, had her bases covered, and got away with it until she went online. She updated her Facebook status to disclose the trick she played and even taunt the police calling them ‘piggies.’ She was charged with False Reporting, which will end up being much more expensive than the cab ride home would have been.
False Reporting in Weld County
The Colorado law definition of False Reporting to Authorities – C.R.S. 18-8-111 – is:
(a) He or she knowingly:
(I) Causes by any means, including but not limited to activation, a false alarm of fire or other emergency or a false emergency exit alarm to sound or to be transmitted to or within an official or volunteer fire department, ambulance service, law enforcement agency, or any other government agency which deals with emergencies involving danger to life or property; or
(II) Prevents by any means, including but not limited to deactivation, a legitimate fire alarm, emergency exit alarm, or other emergency alarm from sounding or from being transmitted to or within an official or volunteer fire department, ambulance service, law enforcement agency, or any other government agency that deals with emergencies involving danger to life or property; or
(b) He makes a report or knowingly causes the transmission of a report to law enforcement authorities of a crime or other incident within their official concern when he knows that it did not occur; or
(c) He or she makes a report or knowingly causes the transmission of a report to law enforcement authorities pretending to furnish information relating to an offense or other incident within their official concern when he or she knows that he or she has no such information or knows that the information is false; or
(d) He or she knowingly provides false identifying information to law enforcement authorities.
In Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, you can get charged with False Reporting if you report a crime that did not occur, much like the woman in the story did. She called 911 to report that she was the victim of an Assault, however that Assault never took place. Police were able to track down surveillance video that show nothing happened to the woman in the parking lot, like she reported. As a class 3 misdemeanor, False Reporting is punishable by up to 6 months in the Weld County Jail and $750 in fines.
Have you been charged with DUI or False Reporting? Contact the experienced criminal defense lawyers from the O’Malley Law Office to defend you today!
Have you been charged with DUI or False Reporting? Contact the experienced criminal defense lawyers from the O’Malley Law Office to defend you today!
Drinking and Driving in Greeley and Windsor
Driving Under the Influence – C.R.S. 42-4-1301 – is defined by Colorado law as:
If the woman had been pulled over while driving home that night, she could have faced Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charges. In Greeley, Evans, and Erie, if a person has a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or more, then they are considered to be Driving Under the Influence. A first time drunk driving offense is punishable by 5 days to 1 year in the Weld County Jail, 48-96 hours of community service, $600-$1,000 in fines and a 9 month suspension of your driver’s license. The penalties get progressively worse if it is a second or subsequent offense, including a felony charge for some 3rd offenses and all 4th offenses.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Driving Under the Influence or False Reporting to Authorities, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense lawyers from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009 today. Together, we can protect your future.
Image Credit: Pixabay – geralt