Florida Man Allegedly Fakes 911 Call to Evade Speeding Ticket
Julius Lupowitz allegedly called authorities about a potential shooting.
— -- A Florida man pulled over for speeding allegedly called 911 to report a potential murder to avoid getting a ticket, authorities said.
Julius Lupowitz was pulled over by a police officer Thursday in West Melbourne, Florida, for driving over the speed limit.
According to police, when the officer turned his back, Lupowitz, 52, dialed 911.
“There’s definitely someone going to get shot. Please, please. Wingate and Hollywood. Please,” a man says on the 911 call released by officials. “There’s a man with a gun. I see him looking at me but I don’t think he sees I’m on a cell phone. I swear I’m so scared I might get killed myself. Please.”
Police officers were dispatched to the scene, but the officer who originally pulled over Lupowitz stayed put.
“We responded as if it was real,” said West Melbourne Police Lt. Richard Cordeau. “We don’t know any different until we got there.”
911 dispatchers who had, in the meantime, tracked down the name of the caller announced it over the police radio, which alerted the officer standing next to Lupowitz.
“Our officer was standing at the door of Mr. Lupowitz’s vehicle and realized, at that point, that this was the same person that was making the 911 calls,” said Lt. Cordeau.
Instead of a $200 traffic ticket, Lupowitz is, according to authorities, now facing a felony charge with a five-year maximum prison term.
