911 Call Gets Man in Trouble With Police

A New Port Richey police officer arrived on Washington St. on Tuesday in response to a complaint call when he heard a man yelling from inside an apartment.

James Preston, 71, yelled  “shut the *expletive* up” from inside 6921 Washington St., Apt. 2, as the police officer was talking to Preston’s neighbor, according to an arrest report. He yelled it several times.

The police officer went to Preston’s door, but Preston refused to answer it.

The officer, who was in uniform, told him through the door that police were next door. 

Preston shouted: “I don’t give a damn, you need to shut the *expletive* up and go away before I call the real police.”

The officer could see Preston through a window and told him to not call 911 unless it was an emergency and to use a non-emergency number for other issues or complaints.

Preston shouted an obscenity and yelled “Go away,” the report states.  

The officer told him again when to call 911 and when to call the non-emergency number, completed his investigation and left.

After the officer left the scene, he learned Preston had called 911. When a dispatcher asked Preston if this was an emergency, Preston replied “This is not an emergency.”

The officer returned to Preston’s apartment and questioned Preston. Preston told the officer there was no emergency. The officer arrested him. 

Preston was charged with making false 911 calls. He was booked into the Land O’ Lakes Jail Tuesday but was later released after posting $150 bond.