Intoxicated man charged with misusing 911

An intoxicated man was arrested for misuse of the 911 emergency system Wednesday night after he was warned repeatedly not to call 911 by Sheriff’s deputies.

Deputy Daniel Hill responded to a home on Goodley Street on Grassy Key at 8:30 p.m. The resident of the home told the deputy he’d hired 54 year old Thomas Bieger, of Hollywood, Florida from a Craig’s List ad to help repair the home. He said he’d let him stay overnight in an extra bedroom. Now he wanted him to leave the home and Bieger, who was very intoxicated, was refusing to leave.

Deputy Hill told Bieger to gather his things and leave. Bieger refused, saying he would have to be evicted and demanding to see a supervisor. Sgt. Nick Whiteman responded to the scene and also explained to Bieger he would have to leave the property. Bieger continued to argue, demanding to see a lieutenant.  When Sgt. Whiteman declined to call a lieutenant to the scene, Bieger said he would call 911 to demand a lieutenant respond. He was told if he called 911 in a non-emergency situation such as this one he would be arrested.

Bieger finally carried his belongings across the street from the house, off of the property. He was so intoxicated he had trouble balancing as he walked across the street. The officers stayed on the scene to make sure he complied with all of their orders. As the officers were standing in the street in front of the house, they saw Bieger begin to talk on his phone. Sgt. Whiteman asked Sheriff’s dispatchers if a drunk man was on the 911 line with them; they said yes, that a drunk man was calling them from a house on Goodley Street, Grassy Key.

Bieger was arrested. He was charged with misuse of the 911 system and he was taken to jail.

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