Police have arrested Julius Lupowitz and say he misused the 911 system by telling a dispatcher a murder was about to take place as an attempt to get out of a traffic stop without a $209 citation for speeding.
On June 24, a seemingly hysterical 911 caller reported that a man with a gun was in the area of Wingate Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard in Melbourne, and that a murder was about to take place.
The male caller pleaded for help, and disconnected as the 911 operator was attempting to gather more information on the alleged suspect. The 911 operator received a second call from the same male, again stating there was a man with a gun, and there was going to be a murder. The operator again attempted to get more information from the caller, but the caller disconnected.An attempt to call back went unanswered.
Numerous law enforcement officers responded to the area named by the caller, but were unable to locate anything suspicious.
A Brevard County Sheriff's Office dispatcher ran a search for prior incidents associated with the telephone number of the caller, and established the phone belonged to Julius Lupowitz.
A sergeant with WMPD was conducting a traffic stop as these calls came in, and overheard the dispatcher say Lupowitz was the owner of the phone.
Lupowitz was the driver of the vehicle that the sergeant had stopped for speeding.
A brief investigation confirmed that Lupowitz had called 911 with a fake report in hopes the officer who stopped him would have to respond to the priority call, rather than issuing him a ticket.
In addition to the $209 fine for speeding, which Lupowitz still received, he was charged with a third-degree felony for misuse of the 911 system. Misuse of the 911 system can carry a maximum sentence of five years.
Because the sergeant who made the stop was not aware Lupowitz made the calls, and did not see Lupowitz on the telephone, West Melbourne Police filed the charge with the State Attorney’s Office.
The State Attorney's Office reviewed the case, and determined that the police response cost taxpayers in excess of $100. Prosecutors issued a warrant for Lupowitz’s arrest on July 16, 2014.
The charge against Lupowitz was upgraded to a felony based on the amount of resources expended.
On July 23, 2014, West Melbourne Officers became aware of the active warrant and arrested Lupowitz without incident at his home.
He was turned over to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and booked into county jail. His bond is set at $2,000.
“This incident needlessly tied up a critical component of public safety. The 911 system is intended for people who truly need help. In addition, these false calls created an unnecessary delay in our officers’ ability to respond to true emergencies,” said Lt. Cordeau, WMPD.