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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58515</law_id><section_number>18.2-461.1</section_number><catch_line>False emergency communication to emergency personnel; penalties</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-1716.1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="10">Crimes Against the Administration of Justice</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Interference With Administration of Justice</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section:
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Emergency communication</span>&#x201D; means a communication of any type to report a fire or to summon a firefighter, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters" href="/65.2-107/">65.2-107</a>, <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions" href="/9.1-101/">9.1-101</a>, or emergency medical services personnel, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/32.1-111.1/">32.1-111.1</a>, in a situation where human life, health, or property is reported to be in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Emergency personnel</span>&#x201D; means the same as that term is defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="&quot;Emergency call&quot; and &quot;emergency personnel&quot; defined" href="/18.2-426/">18.2-426</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Emergency response</span>&#x201D; means a response by a firefighter, <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer, or emergency medical services personnel to a situation where human life, health, or property is in jeopardy and the prompt provision of aid is essential to protect human life, health, or property. <a id="paragraph-214454" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-461.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person who knowingly reports, or causes another to report in reliance on intentionally false information provided by such person, a false <span class="dictionary">emergency communication</span> to any <span class="dictionary">emergency personnel</span> that results in an <span class="dictionary">emergency response</span> is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-214455" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-461.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person who knowingly reports, or causes another to report in reliance on intentionally false information provided by such person, a false <span class="dictionary">emergency communication</span> to any <span class="dictionary">emergency personnel</span> that results in an <span class="dictionary">emergency response</span> and any person suffers serious bodily injury, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Maiming, etc., of another resulting from driving while intoxicated" href="/18.2-51.4/">18.2-51.4</a>, as a direct and proximate result of the false <span class="dictionary">emergency communication</span> to <span class="dictionary">emergency personnel</span> is guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-214456" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-461.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Any person who reports, or causes another to report in reliance on intentionally false information provided by such person, a false <span class="dictionary">emergency communication</span> to any <span class="dictionary">emergency personnel</span> that results in an <span class="dictionary">emergency response</span> and any person is killed as a direct and proximate result of the false <span class="dictionary">emergency communication</span> to personnel is guilty of a Class 5 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-214457" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-461.1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Any person violating this section may be prosecuted in the county or city where the <span class="dictionary">emergency communication</span> was made, in the county or city where the <span class="dictionary">emergency communication</span> was received, or in the county or city where the <span class="dictionary">emergency response</span> occurred. <a id="paragraph-214458" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-461.1/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> A violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct <span class="dictionary">offense</span>. The provisions of this section shall not preclude <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> under any other <span class="dictionary">statute</span>. <a id="paragraph-214459" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-461.1/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2023, cc. 22, 23.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
