Man Charged With Making False 911 Call To Report Fake Fire: Cops

EAST HAVEN, CT — Police had gotten complaint calls about a utility crew working on Charter Oak Street Monday afternoon. Around an hour later, there was a report of a house fire in the same area. A dispatcher would make the connection between the two and the caller would end up in jail with a $10,000 bond by day's end.

According to a police incident report requested by Patch, and provided by East Haven Police Capt. Joseph M. Murgo, at around 12:30 p.m. Monday, 40-year-old Terence Bogan called 911 for the firs time.

The report states that he was "irate because the gas company was doing construction work on Charter Oak Avenue without the use of a flagger or a police officer for traffic direction."

Bogan told dispatchers he had "trouble taking his daughter to the school bus" that morning because of the work. He told police that the "construction was causing confusion for senior citizens who were walking by."

And, he said he was "frustrated" that the construction company was a Rhode Island and not Connecticut company.

Bogan also said not having a police officer directing traffic at the site was a "public hazard." In total, police said he made three calls. He denied the call that would and him in jail.

According to the incident report, the officer who responded to the 1:40 p.m. 911 emergency call for a fire at 166 Charter Oak Street, interviewed neighbors including Bogan when first responders arrived and no fire was found. Then, a dispatcher told the officer that the 911 call for the fire was the same number that called with the complaints about the construction and lack of a police traffic detail.

Patch has requested a recording of the 911 call about the alleged fire. In the meantime, this is the transcript according to the incident report.

Caller: "Get the fire department here ...oh god ...at 166 ...167 Oak Street East Haven ...I just burnt everything ...I shouldn't have cooked she told me ...hurry up please *unintelligible* ...East Haven Charter Oak Street ...Charter Oak Street East Haven...168 Charter Oak Street East Haven."

Dispatcher asked what's on fire: "Everything," the caller said and then hung up.

Bogan denied making the 911 call about the fire.

Police arrested him and charged him with Falsely Reporting an Incident in the First Degree, a Class D felony, and Misuse of the Emergency 911 System. He was given a $10,000 bail, posted and was released. He is due in court in New Haven Nov. 16.