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Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04 (2026)

Disrupting public services

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
September 23, 2004
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 146 - 125th General Assembly
PDF:
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(A) No person, purposely by any means or knowingly by damaging or tampering with any property, shall do any of the following:

(1) Interrupt or impair television, radio, telephone, telegraph, or other mass communications service; police, fire, or other public service communications; radar, loran, radio, or other electronic aids to air or marine navigation or communications; or amateur or citizens band radio communications being used for public service or emergency communications;

(2) Interrupt or impair public transportation, including without limitation school bus transportation, or water supply, gas, power, or other utility service to the public;

(3) Substantially impair the ability of law enforcement officers, firefighters, rescue personnel, emergency medical services personnel, or emergency facility personnel to respond to an emergency or to protect and preserve any person or property from serious physical harm.

(B) No person shall knowingly use any computer, computer system, computer network, telecommunications device, or other electronic device or system or the internet so as to disrupt, interrupt, or impair the functions of any police, fire, educational, commercial, or governmental operations.

(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of disrupting public services, a felony of the fourth degree.

(D) As used in this section:

(1) "Emergency medical services personnel" has the same meaning as in section 2133.21 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Emergency facility personnel" means any of the following:

(a) Any of the following individuals who perform services in the ordinary course of their professions in an emergency facility:

(i) Physicians authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery;

(ii) Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses licensed under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code;

(iii) Physician assistants authorized to practice under Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code;

(iv) Health care workers;

(v) Clerical staffs.

(b) Any individual who is a security officer performing security services in an emergency facility;

(c) Any individual who is present in an emergency facility, who was summoned to the facility by an individual identified in division (D)(2)(a) or (b) of this section.

(3) "Emergency facility" means a hospital emergency department or any other facility that provides emergency medical services.

(4) "Hospital" has the same meaning as in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code.

(5) "Health care worker" means an individual, other than an individual specified in division (D)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, who provides medical or other health-related care or treatment in an emergency facility, including medical technicians, medical assistants, orderlies, aides, or individuals acting in similar capacities.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 145 cases (58 in the last 5 years), 1984–2026 · leading case: State v. Robinson, 2009 Ohio 5937 (Ohio 2009).
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State v. Robinson, 2009 Ohio 5937 (Ohio 2009). · cites it 24× “Robinson was convicted of disrupting public services under R.C. 2909.04, which provides as follows: {¶ 20} “(A) No person, purposely by any means or knowingly by damaging or tampering with any property, shall do any of the following: {¶ 21} “ * * * *81 {¶ 22} “(3) Substantially…”
State v. Frost, 2019 Ohio 3540 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 12× “] For purposes of the disrupting public services statute, R.C. 2909.04(A), the term "impair" means "'to make worse' or 'diminish in quantity, value, excellence, or strength.”
State v. Hill, 2010 Ohio 4871 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 24× “Hill appeals the April 24, 2009 decision of the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas, imposing a sentence of three years of community control after accepting Hill's no contest plea to one count of attempted disruption of public services, in violation of R.C. 2909.04 and R.C.…”
State v. Jackson, 2019 Ohio 170 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 12× “{¶62} We conclude that the State presented sufficient evidence from which the jury could find Jackson guilty of disrupting public services.”
Anthony Novak v. City of Parma, 932 F.3d 421 (6th Cir. 2019). · cites it 3× “The warrants said that Novak unlawfully impaired the department's functions, in violation of Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(B). Novak responds that, other than twelve minutes of phone calls to the *426 department, the police department suffered no disruption to its functions.”
State v. Robinson, 895 N.E.2d 262 (Ohio Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 14× “{¶ 23} Robinson argues that his conviction of disrupting public services was not supported by sufficient evidence because he did not cause serious physical harm to the victim and because he inflicted the injury to the victim prior to any call for emergency services.”
City of Shaker Heights v. Mosely, 865 N.E.2d 859 (Ohio 2007). · cites it 4× “{¶ v} “(2) ‘Emergency facility person’ is the singular of ‘emergency facility personnel’ as defined in section 2909.04 of the Revised Code. {¶ w} “(3) ‘Emergency facility’ has the same meaning as in section 2909.”
State v. Herring, 2017 Ohio 743 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 5× “The victim testified that Herring did not have permission to take her car after the beating, so the children’s testimony that Herring sometimes was seen driving her car in the past is irrelevant to the events on April 29, 2015.”
State v. Brown, 646 N.E.2d 838 (Ohio Ct. App. 1994). · cites it 8× “25 with two violence specifications and a “furthermore” clause based on a prior domestic violence conviction; and (3) disrupting public services in violation of R.C. 2909.04 with two violence specifications.”
State v. Fry, 2010 Ohio 1017 (Ohio 2010). · cites it 2× “Accordingly, I would reverse the R.C. 2909.04(A)(7) death specification. 57 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO {¶ 240} Furthermore, “[t]o pass constitutional muster, a capital sentencing scheme must ‘genuinely narrow the class of persons eligible for the death penalty and must reasonably…”
Anthony Novak v. City of Parma, Ohio, 33 F.4th 296 (6th Cir. 2022). · cites it 2× “Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(B). Both judges found there was probable cause and issued the warrants.”
State v. Myers, 2022 Ohio 991 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 5× “13(A)(3) and disrupting public services in violation of R.C. 2909.04(A)(1). A jury found Mr. Myers not guilty of kidnapping and abduction with respect to two of the victims named in the indictment but guilty with respect to the third victim, J.”
Show all 145 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A) — 11 cases
State v. Robinson, 2009 Ohio 5937 (Ohio 2009). “Robinson was convicted of disrupting public services under R.C. 2909.04, which provides as follows: {¶ 20} “(A) No person, purposely by any means or knowingly by damaging or tampering with any property, shall do any of the following: {¶ 21} “ * * * *81 {¶ 22} “(3) Substantially…”
State v. Jackson, 2019 Ohio 170 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). “{¶62} We conclude that the State presented sufficient evidence from which the jury could find Jackson guilty of disrupting public services.”
State v. Frost, 2019 Ohio 3540 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). “] For purposes of the disrupting public services statute, R.C. 2909.04(A), the term "impair" means "'to make worse' or 'diminish in quantity, value, excellence, or strength.”
State v. Hill, 2010 Ohio 4871 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010). “Hill appeals the April 24, 2009 decision of the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas, imposing a sentence of three years of community control after accepting Hill's no contest plea to one count of attempted disruption of public services, in violation of R.C. 2909.04 and R.C.…”
State v. Robinson, 895 N.E.2d 262 (Ohio Ct. App. 2008). “{¶ 23} Robinson argues that his conviction of disrupting public services was not supported by sufficient evidence because he did not cause serious physical harm to the victim and because he inflicted the injury to the victim prior to any call for emergency services.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A)(1) — 70 cases
State v. Frost, 2019 Ohio 3540 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). “] For purposes of the disrupting public services statute, R.C. 2909.04(A), the term "impair" means "'to make worse' or 'diminish in quantity, value, excellence, or strength.”
State v. Herring, 2017 Ohio 743 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017). “The victim testified that Herring did not have permission to take her car after the beating, so the children’s testimony that Herring sometimes was seen driving her car in the past is irrelevant to the events on April 29, 2015.”
State v. Myers, 2022 Ohio 991 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022). “13(A)(3) and disrupting public services in violation of R.C. 2909.04(A)(1). A jury found Mr. Myers not guilty of kidnapping and abduction with respect to two of the victims named in the indictment but guilty with respect to the third victim, J.”
State v. Tajblik, 2016 Ohio 977 (Ohio Ct. App. 2016).
State v. Galindo, 2012 Ohio 3626 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A)(1)(C) — 5 cases
State v. Ragland, 2018 Ohio 3292 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
State v. Matland, 2010 Ohio 6585 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010).
State v. Parker, 2017 Ohio 4382 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017).
State v. Adams, 2025 Ohio 1419 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025).
State v. Shriver, 2025 Ohio 1756 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A)(2) — 6 cases
State v. Davis, 938 N.E.2d 1043 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010).
State v. Brown, 646 N.E.2d 838 (Ohio Ct. App. 1994). “25 with two violence specifications and a “furthermore” clause based on a prior domestic violence conviction; and (3) disrupting public services in violation of R.C. 2909.04 with two violence specifications.”
Zoldan v. Chaffee, 2014 Ohio 5472 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).
State v. Littler, 2012 Ohio 210 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).
State v. Casiano, 2023 Ohio 3711 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A)(3) — 49 cases
State v. Robinson, 2009 Ohio 5937 (Ohio 2009). “Robinson was convicted of disrupting public services under R.C. 2909.04, which provides as follows: {¶ 20} “(A) No person, purposely by any means or knowingly by damaging or tampering with any property, shall do any of the following: {¶ 21} “ * * * *81 {¶ 22} “(3) Substantially…”
State v. Jackson, 2019 Ohio 170 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). “{¶62} We conclude that the State presented sufficient evidence from which the jury could find Jackson guilty of disrupting public services.”
State v. Hill, 2010 Ohio 4871 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010). “Hill appeals the April 24, 2009 decision of the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas, imposing a sentence of three years of community control after accepting Hill's no contest plea to one count of attempted disruption of public services, in violation of R.C. 2909.04 and R.C.…”
State v. Robinson, 895 N.E.2d 262 (Ohio Ct. App. 2008). “{¶ 23} Robinson argues that his conviction of disrupting public services was not supported by sufficient evidence because he did not cause serious physical harm to the victim and because he inflicted the injury to the victim prior to any call for emergency services.”
State v. Parke, 2023 Ohio 1144 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A)(3)(C) — 1 case
State v. Williams, 2012 Ohio 5344 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A)(4) — 1 case
State v. Griffin, 780 N.E.2d 1088 (Ohio Ct. App. 2002).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A)(7) — 1 case
State v. Fry, 2010 Ohio 1017 (Ohio 2010). “Accordingly, I would reverse the R.C. 2909.04(A)(7) death specification. 57 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO {¶ 240} Furthermore, “[t]o pass constitutional muster, a capital sentencing scheme must ‘genuinely narrow the class of persons eligible for the death penalty and must reasonably…”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(A)(C) — 1 case
State v. Crespo, 2024 Ohio 5192 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(B) — 7 cases
Anthony Novak v. City of Parma, 932 F.3d 421 (6th Cir. 2019). “The warrants said that Novak unlawfully impaired the department's functions, in violation of Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(B). Novak responds that, other than twelve minutes of phone calls to the *426 department, the police department suffered no disruption to its functions.”
Anthony Novak v. City of Parma, Ohio, 33 F.4th 296 (6th Cir. 2022). “Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(B). Both judges found there was probable cause and issued the warrants.”
Novak v. City of Parma (N.D. Ohio 2021).
State v. Eldridge, 2019 Ohio 1265 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019).
Mix v. West (W.D. Ky. 2023).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04(C) — 3 cases
State v. Frost, 2019 Ohio 3540 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). “] For purposes of the disrupting public services statute, R.C. 2909.04(A), the term "impair" means "'to make worse' or 'diminish in quantity, value, excellence, or strength.”
United States v. Carr, 912 F. Supp. 2d 553 (S.D. Ohio 2012).
State v. Larrick, 2023 Ohio 4663 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023).
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