In a bizarre incident that left authorities scratching their heads, an Ohio man found himself in hot water after allegedly falsely reporting an emergency involving a bear attack. According to authorities, 47-year-old Christian Leonhardt was found to be under the influence of alcohol and was simply seeking a ride out of the woods.
When the man dialed 9-1-1, he claimed that he was being attacked by bears, sending law enforcement and emergency responders into a frenzy. Given the seriousness of the situation, a swift and coordinated response was initiated to ensure the safety of both the man and the alleged bears. According to WCHS, citing a criminal complaint, Leonhardt claimed during his initial calls with dispatchers that he had been walking for days in the woods. As searchers attempted to scare off any bears in the area with their lights and sirens, they eventually found the man who turned out to be intoxicated. They eventually realized he “just wanted a ride out of the woods.” He apologized and also denied medical treatment.
So how the heck did he even get there? According to the outlet, he actually crashed his vehicle into the woods simply because he was intoxiated. During his call to 911, he even told dispatchers he was being circled by bears and being attacked” — and even indicated he was injured. Dispatchers even told him to “take his shirt off and apply pressure to wounds,” only to realize no such wounds existed when Leonhardt was located. As a result of his alleged lies, authorities placed Leonhardt under arrest.
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Speaking to TooFab about the incident, Belle Fire Chief David Armstrong said “We put a lot of resources into this. To find out that’s not factual, that’s disheartening,” Armstrong told the outlet. “If he’d have called and said, ”I’m lost, scared,’ we would have went anyway. To add that to the story, that was not the right thing so.”
Leonhardt was booked into West Virginia Regional Jail on charges of falsely reporting an emergency. He was released that same day.
As many are aware, law enforcement agencies work tirelessly to respond to emergencies and ensure public safety. False reports divert valuable resources and can put lives at risk, which is why such incidents are taken very seriously. Falsely reporting an emergency is a criminal offense and can result in severe legal repercussions.
In this case, the man now faces charges of falsely reporting an emergency, adding to the consequences of his ill-conceived plan.