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(A) No person shall cause the evacuation of any public place, or otherwise cause serious public inconvenience or alarm, by doing any of the following:
(1) Initiating or circulating a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false.
(2) Threatening to commit any offense of violence.
(3) Committing any offense, with reckless disregard of the likelihood that its commission will cause serious public inconvenience or alarm.
(B) Division (A)(1) of this section does not apply to any person conducting an authorized fire or emergency drill.
(C) (1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of inducing panic.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3), inducing panic is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(3) If a violation of this section results in physical harm to any person, inducing panic is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. If a violation of this section results in economic harm of $1,000 or more, inducing panic is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. If the public place involved in a violation of division (A)(1) is a school or an institution of higher education, inducing panic is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. If a violation of this section pertains to a purported, threatened or actual use of a weapon of mass destruction, inducing panic is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(D) (1) It is not a defense to a charge under this section that pertains to a purported or threatened use of a weapon of mass destruction that the offender did not possess or have the ability to use a weapon of mass destruction or that what was represented to be a weapon of mass destruction was not a weapon of mass destruction.
(2) Any act that is a violation of this section and any other section of the Ohio Revised Code or this Code of Ordinances may be prosecuted under this section, the other section, or both sections.
(E) As used in this section:
BIOLOGICAL AGENT has the same meaning as in R.C. § 2917.33.
ECONOMIC HARM means any of the following:
(a) All direct, incidental and consequential pecuniary harm suffered by a victim as a result of the criminal conduct. “Economic harm” as described in this division includes but is not limited to all of the following:
1. All wages, salaries or other compensation lost as a result of the criminal conduct;
2. The cost of all wages, salaries or other compensation paid to employees for time those employees are prevented from working as a result of the criminal conduct;
3. The overhead costs incurred from the time that a business is shut down as a result of the criminal conduct;
4. The loss of value to tangible or intangible property that was damaged as a result of the criminal conduct.
(b) All costs incurred by the state or any political subdivision as a result of, or in making any response to, the criminal conduct that constituted the violation of this section or R.C. § 2917.32, or any substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, including but not limited to all costs so incurred by any law enforcement officers, firefighters, rescue personnel, or emergency medical services personnel of the state or the political subdivision.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL has the same meaning as in R.C. § 2133.21.
INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION means any of the following:
(a) A state university or college as defined in R.C. § 3345.12(A)(1), community college, state community college, university branch, or technical college;
(b) A private, nonprofit college, university or other post-secondary institution located in this state that possesses a certificate of authorization issued by the Ohio Board of Regents pursuant to R.C. Chapter 1713;
(c) A post-secondary institution with a certificate of registration issued by the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools pursuant to R.C. Chapter 3332.
SCHOOL means any school operated by a board of education or any school for which the State Board of Education prescribes minimum standards under R.C. § 3301.07, whether or not any instruction, extracurricular activities, or training provided by the school is being conducted at the time a violation of this section is committed.
WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION means any of the following:
(a) Any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious physical harm through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals, or other precursors;
(b) Any weapon involving a disease organism or biological agent;
(c) Any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life;
(d) Any of the following, except to the extent that the item or device in question is expressly excepted from the definition of “destructive device” pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(4) and regulations issued under that section:
1. Any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces, missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce, mine, or similar device;
2. Any combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any item or device into any item or device described in division (d)1. of this definition and from which an item or device described in that division may be readily assembled.
(R.C. § 2917.31) (`63 Code, § 509.06) Penalty, see § 130.99
(A) No person shall do any of the following:
(1) Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to cause public inconvenience or alarm.
(2) Knowingly cause a false alarm of fire or other emergency to be transmitted to or within any organization, public or private, for dealing with emergencies involving a risk of physical harm to persons or property.
(3) Report to any law enforcement agency an alleged offense or other incident within its concern, knowing that the offense did not occur.
(4) Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to impede the operation of a critical infrastructure facility.
(B) This section does not apply to any person conducting an authorized fire or emergency drill.
(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of making false alarms. Except as otherwise provided in this division, making false alarms is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If a violation of this section results in economic harm of $1,000 or more, making false alarms is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. If a violation of this section pertains to a purported, threatened, or actual use of a weapon of mass destruction, making false alarms is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(D) (1) It is not a defense to a charge under this section that pertains to a purported or threatened use of a weapon of mass destruction that the offender did not possess or have the ability to use a weapon of mass destruction or that what was represented to be a weapon of mass destruction was not a weapon of mass destruction.
(2) Any act that is a violation of this section and any other section of the Ohio Revised Code or this Code of Ordinances may be prosecuted under this section, the other section, or both sections.
(E) As used in this section:
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 2911.21.
ECONOMIC HARM and WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. Have the same meaning as in R.C. § 2917.31.
(R.C. § 2917.32) (`63 Code, § 509.07) Penalty, see § 130.99
(A) No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that he or she is facilitating a fraud, or with purpose to induce another to purchase property or services, shall personate a law enforcement officer, or an inspector, investigator, or agent of any governmental agency.
(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of personating an officer, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(R.C. § 2913.44) (`63 Code, § 545.16) Penalty, see § 130.99
(A) No person shall congregate with others on the sidewalk, street corner, or within the parks or public grounds with intent to provoke a breach of the peace; or whereby a breach of the peace may be occasioned by the serious annoyance to pedestrians or by threatening, insulting, or abusive conduct to them; and refuse to move on when ordered by a police officer.
(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(`63 Code, § 509.12) Penalty, see § 130.99
(A) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. An employee of the United States who serves in a position the duties of which are primarily the investigation, apprehension, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses under the criminal laws of the United States.
IMPERSONATE. To act the part of, assume the identity of, wear the uniform or any part of the uniform of, or display the identification of a particular person or of a member of a class of persons with purpose to make another person believe that the actor is that particular person or is a member of that class of persons.
INVESTIGATOR OF THE BUREAU OF CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION AND INVESTIGATION. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 2903.11.
PEACE OFFICER. A Sheriff, deputy sheriff, Marshal, deputy marshal, member of the organized police department of a municipal corporation, or township constable, who is employed by a political subdivision of this state; a member of a
police force employed by a metropolitan housing authority under R.C. § 3735.31(D); a member of a police force employed by a regional transit authority under R.C. § 306.35(Y); a state university law enforcement officer appointed under R.C. § 3345.04; a veterans’ home police officer appointed under R.C. § 5907.02; a special police officer employed by a port authority under R.C. § 4582.04 or 4582.28; an officer, agent, or employee of the state or any of its agencies, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions, upon whom, by statute, a duty to conserve the peace or to enforce all or certain laws is imposed and the authority to arrest violators is conferred, within limits of that statutory duty and authority; or a state highway patrol trooper whose primary duties are to preserve the peace, to protect life and property, and to enforce the laws, ordinances, or rules of the state or any of its political subdivisions.
PRIVATE POLICE OFFICER. Any security guard, special police officer, private detective, or other person who is privately employed in a police capacity.
(B) No person shall impersonate a peace officer, private police officer, investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, or federal law enforcement officer.
(C) No person, by impersonating a peace officer, private police officer, investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, or federal law enforcement officer, shall arrest or detain any person, search any person, or search the property of any person.
(D) No person, with purpose to commit or facilitate the commission of an offense, shall impersonate a peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer, an officer, agent or employee of the municipality or the state, or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
(E) No person shall commit a felony while impersonating a peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer, an officer, agent or employee of the municipality or of the state, or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
(F) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under division (B) of this section that the impersonation of the peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer, an officer, agent or employee of the municipality or of the state, or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation was for a lawful purpose.
(G) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Whoever violates division (C) or (D) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the purpose of a violation of division (D) of this section is to commit or facilitate the commission of a felony, a violation of division (D) is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. Whoever violates division (E) of this section is guilty of a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(R.C. § 2921.51) Penalty, see § 130.99
(A) No person shall falsely pretend or represent himself or herself to be a public official or public servant with intent to induce another to submit to such pretended official authority or otherwise to act in reliance upon that pretense to his or her prejudice.
(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of impersonating a public official or public servant, a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(`63 Code, § 525.03) Penalty, see § 130.99
(A) No person, without privilege to do so, shall recklessly obstruct any highway, street, sidewalk, or any other public passage in such a manner as to render the highway, street, sidewalk, or passage impassable without unreasonable inconvenience or hazard if both of the following apply:
(1) The obstruction prevents an emergency vehicle from accessing a highway or street, prevents an emergency service responder from responding to an emergency, or prevents an emergency vehicle or an emergency service responder from having access to an exit from an emergency.
(2) Upon receipt of a request or order from an emergency service responder to remove or cease the obstruction, the person refuses to remove or cease the obstruction.
(B) Division (A) of this section does not limit or affect the application of R.C. § 2921.31 or any other section of the Ohio Revised Code. Any conduct that is a violation of division (A) of this section and that also is a violation of R.C. § 2921.31 or any other section of the Ohio Revised Code may be prosecuted under this section, the other section of the Ohio Revised Code, or both sections.
(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of unlawfully impeding public passage of an emergency service responder, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(D) As used in this section, EMERGENCY SERVICE RESPONDER has the same meaning as in R.C. § 2921.01.
(R.C. § 2917.14)