Called 911 By Accident and Gave a Fake Name

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Texas

My stupid cell phone accidentally called 911. (I had called a few days earlier because I was concerned about a kid playing near a busy street and was worried he would get hit by a car............. and 911 was in my phone records and thats how it accidentally called.)

So I explained that it was a mistake that my phone called 911 to the operator and apologized.

The operator insisted on my location and name for their records.

I gave my correct location (where I was at the moment) but for whatever reasons (i was still SOOOO MAD that the phone called 911 by accident) that I gave a fake name. I don't know why really, I have nothing to hide, but I did. And the 911 operator probably could tell because I was hesitant. And, yes, I am fully aware now that that is illegal.

Here's the thing: I know I have called 911 numerous times over the past year or two (with the SAME PHONE NUMBER) (witnessed accidents, etc) and given my correct name. So it doesnt' take a rocket scientist to know that I gave a fake name.

I have no idea how 911 works, but I guess I am paranoid that they review calls - someone will figure out that I was lying - and I guess I am concerned from that call alone there will be a warrant out for obstruction of justice.


My husband says that I've watched too many COPS shows, but seriously, it is a concern of mine.

Could they issue a warrant for obstruction of justice without even questioning me? I mean how do they not know that someone is borrowing my phone? (Though if they review calls, they know that my voice is the same.)

Thanks for any responses.

The name assigned to the number usually identifies who you are. I only found a statute for written false swearing however I'm sure there is something if they push it. In the future, after you call them, delete the call so you never repeat the redial error.

I'm not aware of any law that requires you to accurately give your name to a 911 operator unless you are giving them a false name for a criminal purpose it does not matter

Quote:

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Quoting Lehk

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I'm not aware of any law that requires you to accurately give your name to a 911 operator unless you are giving them a false name for a criminal purpose it does not matter

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While there might not be a law against giving a false name, there's plenty of room for emergency services to try and have OP charged with something.

Giving the 911 operator a false name in this circumstance won't go anywhere. As OP stated, anyone could have used the cell phone (happens all the time, someone in an accident yells to people on the street "can I use someone's phone" or similar), and since there was no report of criminal activity or other issue where the identity of the caller had any relevance, even if the operator knew you gave a false name, the matter is false name regarding WHAT...and the "what" is a misdial, not any investigation that was being impeded, ergo, they have no obstruction issue and much/many bigger fish to fry.

Without researching the law in TX in particular, I strongly suspect that it is a crime to knowingly provide a false name though it is probably NOT a crime to decline to provide it. In my state it is a crime to provide a false name even under circumstances where you have no legal obligation to provide ANY name. I suspect TX has a similar law.

That being said, it is highly doubtful that the police are going to follow up on that since phones can be used by anyone with the phone or at the residence, the name provided does not have to come back to the person to whom the line is registered.

Were any emergency vehicles or staff dispatched? If not, I can't imagine why anyone would pursue the matter. Even if they were, I doubt it's likely.

No, no one was dispatched of course.

THanks for the advice but now I'm even more concerned. I have a seriously ill child and now I'm worried that I'm going to be on my way to a doctor's appt, pulled over for whatever reason and taken to jail. Seriously, if someone pursued this, they would contact me in some way right? NOt just automatically issue a warrant without even talking to me, so if I get in a fender bender two years from now I'm taken to jail?

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

If I were in your shoes I would relax.

NO ONE here thinks that any form of law enforcement is likely to pursue the matter. They have far bigger problems to worry about. The likelihood that they've even NOTICED that the name you gave doesn't match the phone number is slim at best, and even if they did notice they'd be much more likely to assume that you loaned someone the phone than to think, "Aha! We have a false name here, let's go and arrest that person!"

If the matter was resolved with the dispatcher, that's as far as it went. They put their notes in the call and closed it - never even gave it to an officer. No officer involvement means no report, no capias request, no nothing.