Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Karen Lea Smyder, 65, was arrested and charged with making a false 911 call last night after Gainesville Police Department officers mistakenly detained an uninvolved neighbor while Smyder was on a 13-minute 911 call from her house, claiming someone was going to kill her.
At about 10:20 p.m. last night, Smyder allegedly called 911 and said she was being held down against her will and “he was going to kill me.” During the 13-minute phone call, she allegedly continued to say, “He is going to kill me! Get away from me. Stop – he is going to kill me.”
About 10 Gainesville Police Department officers, a fire truck, and an ambulance responded with lights and sirens to her home in the Springtree neighborhood.
Smyder reportedly did not give her address to the 911 operator, so officers pinged her phone to determine her location and incorrectly determined that it came from a house next door to Smyder’s house. The occupant of that house was reportedly uncooperative, and officers ultimately used force to detain him. Officers later determined that the neighbor was not involved in the incident.
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When officers made contact with Smyder, she was reportedly still on the phone with the 911 call-taker and initially refused to hang up and speak with officers.
Post Miranda, Smyder reportedly admitted calling 911 and also that she was home alone and nobody had threatened her. She reportedly said she called 911 based on events that happened in the past.
On the way to the jail, Smyder allegedly threatened to harm or kill multiple officers, making statements like “You’re all dead,” “My brother is going to hurt you,” “I’ll kick you,” and “I’ll get you.”
Smyder has been charged with making a false 911 call and threatening a public servant. She has no criminal history; Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $100,000.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.