FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. — A man is in custody after deputies said he made a fake 911 call to try to distract them from arresting him for probation violations.
Deputies with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office said they got a tip about Robert Kavanagh, a man who was wanted for multiple probation violations stemming from a previous arrest and for failing to appear in court for a trespassing charge.
Deputies got a search warrant for Kavanagh's property, and officers went to the home to take him into custody. They said Kavanagh refused to come out, so the Franklin County SWAT Team was called in.
While law enforcement officers were outside his home, Franklin County Dispatch got a call to report a shooting at a nearby convenience store. After looking into it, it was discovered that the call was placed by Kavanagh and another man using Kavanagh's phone.
Deputies said he and another person in the home placed the call hoping to distract them so Kavanagh could flee.
After that didn't work, Kavanagh and two other people came out of the house and gave themselves up. Kavanagh and another man were taken into custody.
Kavanagh was arrested on the outstanding warrants. The sheriff's office is also applying for charges for filing a false police report and misuse of 911. The sheriff's office is also applying for charges for filing a false police report and misuse of 911 for the man who deputies said helped make the false 911 call.
