Description
Criminal charges for Falsely Reporting a Fire Causing Injury or Death are more serious than charges for Falsely Reporting a Fire. The law states that any person who willfully and maliciously tampers with, molests, injures or breaks any fire protection equipment, insulation, alarm apparatus; or sends gives, transmits or sounds any false alarm of fire by any other means which causes death or injury may be guilty of a felony.
What does the prosecutor have to prove?
1. Defendant willfully and maliciously sent, gave, transmitted, or sounded any false alarm of fire, by means of any fire alarm system or signal or by any other means or methods.
2. A victim sustained great bodily injury or death as a result of the defendant’s act of offense. [PC 148.4(b)]
Punishment
Felony: 16months/2years/3years
With probation 0-364 days