ALBANY TOWNSHIP – A man was arrested on a charge of misusing 911 after he called the emergency number repeatedly for unimportant matters despite warnings to stop, Sgt. Tim Ontengco said Thursday.
Ontengco, of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, said he arrested James L. Littlehale Sr., 57, on a charge of false public alarm on Oct. 5 after he drove to Littlehale’s home to check on him.
Ontengco said people should not tie up 911 phone lines unless there is a serious medical problem or immediate emergency.
There are other nonemergency numbers that people may use to contact police.
“I didn’t know what the issue was, if there truly was an emergency or not,” Ontengco said, describing how he sped up to Littlehale’s house in Albany Township from Lovell. But because Littlehale had called several times previously and had been warned by a deputy to stop, Ontengco said he expected to find Littlehale that was not in dire straits.
Ontengco said he did, however, find that Littlehale had been drinking. During his 911 phone calls, Littlehale asked police to help him leave without specifying a destination, according to Ontengco.
“He just wanted someone to give him a ride somewhere. So he got a ride,” Ontengco said. He brought Littlehale to jail, where he was not allowed to post the $250 bail until he sobered up, according to the jail log.
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