TORNILLO, Texas (credit: KFOX14/CBS4) — A Tornillo man was arrested on Monday after deputies said he made a false report of a stabbing in progress that prompted a large emergency response.
At about 1:55 a.m., deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 19000 block of Tierra Drive in Tornillo after receiving the reported stabbing call.
Multiple deputies and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the scene.
Deputies determined after arriving that no stabbing had occurred and that the report was false.
Investigators identified the suspect as 52-year-old Jose Vargas, who was found hiding at a nearby residence.
He was taken into custody without incident.
Vargas was charged with false report to induce emergency response and booked into the El Paso County Downtown Detention Facility. His bond was set at $7,500.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office warned that falsely reporting emergencies is a serious criminal offense, saying it diverts critical resources from legitimate calls for service and puts the community at risk.
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