An Elyria woman is facing criminal charges after police say she falsely claimed she had been pistol whipped during a 911 call, triggering an emergency response in the early hours of May 17.
According to police reports, officers were dispatched around 12:00 a.m. to the 1300 block of East Avenue after Shanika Ciara Smith, 32, contacted dispatchers and claimed she had just been pistol whipped. Multiple officers responded to the scene, where they located Smith and another individual, Charles Foster, in the entryway of an apartment building.
As officers began their investigation, they quickly found inconsistencies in Smith’s story. Foster denied any assault took place and stated that Smith had been yelling at him over missing money and a food stamp card. He also told officers he did not hear the 911 call being made.
When questioned, Smith did not report being physically harmed and eventually confirmed to officers that she had not been pistol whipped. Despite repeated questioning, she would not directly answer whether she told dispatchers she had been attacked. Instead, she repeatedly said she was not pistol whipped.
Elyria Police say dispatch logs and a recorded 911 call confirmed that Smith had clearly stated she was assaulted. Officers listened to the recording while still on scene and determined that Smith’s statement was knowingly false.
Smith was arrested on one count of Making False Alarms under Ohio Revised Code 2917.32(A)(3), a first-degree misdemeanor. She was booked into the Lorain County Jail and released later that day after posting a $500 surety bond.
She appeared in Elyria Municipal Court for arraignment on May 19 and pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for June 18 before Judge Robert C. White.
Making False Alarms is a serious offense under Ohio law and is charged when a person knowingly makes a false report that could cause public inconvenience or alarm. If convicted, Smith could face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.