A woman was arrested last week after allegedly making a fake 911 call in an apparent attempt to disrupt a traffic stop.
According to the Sylva Police Department, officers received a report on March 6 about a woman being assaulted by her husband. Police responded to an address on Budget Court around 1:20 a.m. but found no evidence of a domestic violence incident.
Shortly after, the woman called 911 again, claiming she was still being assaulted but refusing to disclose her location before the call disconnected. Attempts to reach her were unsuccessful, prompting police to continue searching for a possible victim.
Telecommunicators contacted the woman’s cell phone carrier to determine her location. Investigators became suspicious when the phone was traced near a Jackson County deputy’s traffic stop in Dillsboro.
After coordinating with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, authorities learned the vehicle at the traffic stop was occupied by 37-year-old Jennifer Hutchison and two other women. While speaking with Hutchison, officers noticed a cell phone in the car ringing multiple times. Police confirmed that Hutchison’s phone had been used to place the false emergency calls.
Authorities determined that Hutchison was unharmed and that no assault had occurred. She was arrested and charged with misuse of the 911 system and filing a false police report. The two other women in the car were also arrested on unrelated charges.
