A man was charged on Wednesday after calling emergency services to report a scented candle being lit indoors in New Jersey, police said.
34-year-old Alfredo Gonzalez was charged by the Guttenberg Police Department for making a false public alarm and misusing the 911 emergency line. According to police, Gonzalez contacted 911 to report what he described as a fire hazard and also requested an EMS (Emergency Medical Services) response for a mental health evaluation of the individual who had lit the candle.Authorities say he fabricated the emergency and used mental health as an excuse.
After reviewing the call recordings, officers launched an investigation against Gonzalez, which led to a warrant being issued for his arrest on charges of fourth-degree false public alarm.
Despite the investigation, Gonzalez continued making what police called “non-emergent” complaints, including parking issues. Police were able to apprehend him based on the active warrant.
Guttenberg Police lieutenant Ramadanovic said, “It’s a shame that people use the mental health system inappropriately to create issues. Our job is to help people, and inundating the system with false reports is absolutely ridiculous.”
Deputy chief Frank Pelaez also condemned the behaviour, adding, “This is a perfect example of misuse of the 911 emergency communications line. Individuals who engage in this type of behaviour are stressing the already overwhelmed system. Fabricating emergencies will not be tolerated.”
Authorities reiterated the importance of reserving 911 calls for genuine emergencies that require immediate attention from first responders.