509.12 IMPEDING PUBLIC PASSAGE OF AN EMERGENCY SERVICE RESPONDER.

   (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)   Subsection (a) of this section does not limit or affect the application of Ohio R.C. 2921.31 or any other section of the Ohio Revised Code. Any conduct that is a violation of subsection (a) of this section and that also is a violation of Ohio 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 Ohio R.C. 2921.01. (ORC 2917.14)