Laziness hasn’t been criminalized in Texas, but sometimes it can still lead to jail time. A woman in North Texas recently found herself behind bars after calling the police for cigarettes.
Linda White, 48, was apparently experiencing a smokes emergency when she dialed 911. She called local police with her unusual request after having one too many beers at her home in Granbury, a small town about 65 miles southwest of Dallas. Hood County Lt. Kathy Jividen said that White was “very intoxicated” when she called, according to the Associated Press.
White was enjoying some cold ones in the backyard of her home with her boyfriend, Gary Roberts, on the early morning of February 11. Around 1 a.m., White was dismayed to discover that she was out of cigarettes and too drunk to drive.
It seems that White and Roberts were discussing their cigarette delivery options at the time of the non-emergency emergency call. In the police recording of the call, you can hear Roberts tell White, “If you’re waiting on that [expletive], you’ll be waiting all night.” To whom Roberts is referring is unclear, but White seemed to think that the police were a more viable option.
White dialed 911 and told the dispatch agent that she needed cigarettes, and when the agent asked her named, White identified herself as Roberts. She spelled his name out with difficulty: “G-A-R-Y…. wait, I forgot how to spell my last name.” Perhaps sensing her blunder at this point, White announced she had dialed the wrong number and hung up the phone.
Two deputies arrived at White’s home shortly thereafter and placed her under arrest. She was booked for abusing 911, a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to a $2,000 fine and 180 days in county jail. After six hours in lockup, White was released on bail.
White later expressed regret in an interview with NBC News. “I’m deeply sorry for what I did,” she said. “I’m embarrassed. It’s not me.” She also added: “It is kind of funny.” At least White can laugh at her misadventure along with the rest of us. Police, however, are not amused. “A call for deputies to bring cigarettes to the resident is not an emergency call,” said Bill Temple, Hood County Chief Deputy. White will surely remember that, while Domino’s may deliver, police only carry out.
