Interference with Emergency Telephone Call in Texas
If you have been arrested or charged with interference with an emergency telephone call in Austin, Texas, you are facing a serious criminal charge. Even a first time arrest for interference with an emergency telephone call is considered a Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by up a a year in jail and/or up to a $4,000 fine.
If an individual has a prior conviction for interference with an emergency telephone call, the charge can be enhanced to a state jail felony. Furthermore, if the court makes a finding that family violence has occurred, then the defendant can be prohibited from ever owning or possessing a firearm or ammunition. A finding of family violence also means that the case cannot be expunged or sealed.
Texas law regarding interference with an emergency telephone call can be found under Texas Penal Code Section 42.062.
Texas Penal Code Sec. 42.062. INTERFERENCE WITH EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALL
(a) An individual commits an offense if the individual knowingly prevents or interferes with another individual’s ability to place an emergency telephone call or to request assistance in an emergency from a law enforcement agency, medical facility, or other agency or entity the primary purpose of which is to provide for the safety of individuals.
(b) An individual commits an offense if the individual recklessly renders unusable a telephone that would otherwise be used by another individual to place an emergency telephone call or to request assistance in an emergency from a law enforcement agency, medical facility, or other agency or entity the primary purpose of which is to provide for the safety of individuals.
(c) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is a state jail felony if the actor has previously been convicted under this section.
(d) In this section, “emergency” means a condition or circumstance in which any individual is or is reasonably believed by the individual making a telephone call to be in fear of imminent assault or in which property is or is reasonably believed by the individual making the telephone call to be in imminent danger of damage or destruction.
Aggressive Austin Criminal Defense
Travis County Prosecutors take interference with an emergency phone call cases very seriously, especially when there are also allegations of family or domestic violence that stemmed from the arrest. If you have been charged with interfering with an emergency phone call in Austin, Texas, contact Austin criminal defense lawyer Kevin Bennett at (512) 476-4626. You may also contact the Law Office of Kevin Bennett through email.
