False hostage call could lead to felony arrest.

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False hostage call could lead to felony arrest.

By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.

LUDINGTON — The person who made a false call of a hostage situation Sunday morning, Oct. 16, in the 700 block of Rowe Street may face a felony charge, according to Ludington Police Chief Mark Barnett.

“Someone called and said there were a couple hostages at the house,” Barnett said. Officers swiftly responded to the scene and quickly determined that it was not true.

“We are still in the process of determining who made the call,” the chief said. The person who made the 10:24 a.m. call would be charged with making a false report of a felony, he said, which is punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine, along with a hefty amount of restitution for wasting emergency resources.

The Ludington Police Department, Ludington Fire Department, and the Mason County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call. These types of situations put officers at risk due to their response with “an expedited pace,” Barnett said.

The case remains under investigation.