Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.13 (2026)

Misconduct at emergency

✓ current as of May 2026
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(A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following:

(1) Hamper the lawful operations of any law enforcement officer, firefighter, rescuer, medical person, emergency medical services person, or other authorized person, engaged in the person's duties at the scene of a fire, accident, disaster, riot, or emergency of any kind;

(2) Hamper the lawful activities of any emergency facility person who is engaged in the person's duties in an emergency facility;

(3) Fail to obey the lawful order of any law enforcement officer engaged in the law enforcement officer's duties at the scene of or in connection with a fire, accident, disaster, riot, or emergency of any kind.

(B) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit access or deny information to any news media representative in the lawful exercise of the news media representative's duties.

(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of misconduct at an emergency. Except as otherwise provided in this division, misconduct at an emergency is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If a violation of this section creates a risk of physical harm to persons or property, misconduct at an emergency is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(D) As used in this section:

(1) "Emergency medical services person" is the singular of "emergency medical services personnel" as defined in section 2133.21 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Emergency facility person" is the singular of "emergency facility personnel" as defined in section 2909.04 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Emergency facility" has the same meaning as in section 2909.04 of the Revised Code.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 21 cases (7 in the last 5 years), 1984–2026 · leading case: City of Chicago v. Morales, 527 U.S. 41 (1999).
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City of Chicago v. Morales, 527 U.S. 41 (1999). · cites it 2× “1-25-04 (1997); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2917.13 (A)(2) (1997); Okla.”
Carter v. Reese (Slip Opinion), 2016-Ohio-5569, 70 N.E.3d 478. · cites it 2× “Richland Cty. Bd. of Cty. Commrs., 170 Ohio St. 486 , 166 N.”
Com. & Indus. Ins. v. City of Toledo, 543 N.E.2d 1188 (Ohio 1989). “Code 1301:7-1-03(1); Toledo Municipal Code Section 1511:03, F-102.”
State v. Hines, 764 N.E.2d 1040 (Ohio Ct. App. 8th Dist. 2001). · cites it 3× “” R.C. 2917.13 makes it unlawful for a person to knowingly hamper the lawful operations of a firefighter engaged in his duties at the scene of a fire.”
Penwell v. Taft Broad. Co., 469 N.E.2d 1025 (Ohio Ct. App. 12th Dist. 1984). · cites it 2× “While McArthur additionally takes the position that appellant’s arrest without a warrant was the result of appellant’s failure to obey a lawful order of a law enforcement officer pursuant to R.C. 2917.13, 1 this provision of the Criminal Code is clearly inapposite.”
Akron v. Threadgill, 2024-Ohio-5674, 259 N.E.3d 804. · cites it 6× “Threadgill failed to comply with scores of orders to return to her vehicle, officers arrested her for misconduct at an emergency, in violation of Ohio Revised Code Section 2917.13(A)(3). A jury found her guilty of the offense, and the municipal court sentenced her to 30 days in…”
Kinzer v. Schuckmann, 850 F. Supp. 2d 785 (S.D. Ohio 2012). · cites it 2× “Kinzer was cited, O.R.C. § 2917.13, reads as follows: (A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Hamper the lawful operations of any law enforcement officer .”
State v. Harris, 2020-Ohio-4600. “” R.C. 2917.13(C). It is possible that Muskingum County, Case No.”
Kinkus v. Vill. of Yorkville, 453 F. Supp. 2d 1009 (S.D. Ohio 2006). · cites it 8× “” Ohio Rev.Code § 2917.13(A)(1). 9 . Section 2917.”
State v. Wagar, 632 N.E.2d 546 (Ohio Ct. App. 9th Dist. 1993). · cites it 4× “Defendant Richard Wagar has appealed his conviction for misconduct at an emergency in violation of R.C. 2917.13(A). He has argued that (1) the trial court incorrectly overruled his motion for acquittal; (2) his conviction was against the manifest weight of the evidence; and (3)…”
Parma v. Odolecki, 2017-Ohio-2979. · cites it 4× “(R.C. 2917.13; Ord. 53-03. Eff. Mar. 3, 2003.”
State v. Bryant, 2011-Ohio-4555. · cites it 5× “Bryant was convicted of misconduct at an emergency in violation of R.C. 2917.13, a first degree misdemeanor.”
Show all 21 citing cases →
Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.13(A): 3 cases
State v. Wagar, 632 N.E.2d 546 (Ohio Ct. App. 9th Dist. 1993). “Defendant Richard Wagar has appealed his conviction for misconduct at an emergency in violation of R.C. 2917.13(A). He has argued that (1) the trial court incorrectly overruled his motion for acquittal; (2) his conviction was against the manifest weight of the evidence; and (3)…”
State v. Gaito, 2024-Ohio-2132.
Willey v. Springfield Twp., 2026-Ohio-1842.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.13(A)(1): 8 cases
Carter v. Reese (Slip Opinion), 2016-Ohio-5569, 70 N.E.3d 478. “Richland Cty. Bd. of Cty. Commrs., 170 Ohio St. 486 , 166 N.”
Com. & Indus. Ins. v. City of Toledo, 543 N.E.2d 1188 (Ohio 1989). “Code 1301:7-1-03(1); Toledo Municipal Code Section 1511:03, F-102.”
Kinkus v. Vill. of Yorkville, 453 F. Supp. 2d 1009 (S.D. Ohio 2006). “” Ohio Rev.Code § 2917.13(A)(1). 9 . Section 2917.”
State v. Wagar, 632 N.E.2d 546 (Ohio Ct. App. 9th Dist. 1993). “Defendant Richard Wagar has appealed his conviction for misconduct at an emergency in violation of R.C. 2917.13(A). He has argued that (1) the trial court incorrectly overruled his motion for acquittal; (2) his conviction was against the manifest weight of the evidence; and (3)…”
State v. Mapes, 2021-Ohio-257, 167 N.E.3d 569.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.13(A)(3): 4 cases
Akron v. Threadgill, 2024-Ohio-5674, 259 N.E.3d 804. “Threadgill failed to comply with scores of orders to return to her vehicle, officers arrested her for misconduct at an emergency, in violation of Ohio Revised Code Section 2917.13(A)(3). A jury found her guilty of the offense, and the municipal court sentenced her to 30 days in…”
Kinkus v. Vill. of Yorkville, 453 F. Supp. 2d 1009 (S.D. Ohio 2006). “” Ohio Rev.Code § 2917.13(A)(1). 9 . Section 2917.”
State v. Green, 2020-Ohio-4370.
State v. Longnecker, 2025-Ohio-4780.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.13(B): 1 case
Parma v. Odolecki, 2017-Ohio-2979. “(R.C. 2917.13; Ord. 53-03. Eff. Mar. 3, 2003.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.13(C): 3 cases
State v. Harris, 2020-Ohio-4600. “” R.C. 2917.13(C). It is possible that Muskingum County, Case No.”
State v. Bryant, 2011-Ohio-4555. “Bryant was convicted of misconduct at an emergency in violation of R.C. 2917.13, a first degree misdemeanor.”
State v. Rucker, 2025-Ohio-5466.
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