She was late to work so she falsely reported a crime against officer, Alabama police say

A woman was arrested Thursday evening after authorities said she falsely reported a crime against an officer to have an excuse for being late to work, according to Eufaula police.

Samantha Jolene Robertson, 18, faces one count of false report of a crime. She was booked into the Eufaula City Jail.

Eufaula police took to Facebook Thursday evening to address rumors on social media of someone impersonating an officer on Highway 95 earlier that day.

“The police department and City Hall received numerous panicked inquiries as well, and the allegations fueled rumor and misinformation around town,” officials said in the post.

They went on to clarify that Robertson reported that an officer stopped her on Highway 95 and searched her car, damaging her property. People stated on social media that an individual impersonating a police officer pulled her over and tried to abduct her, but authorities said neither was true.

“Due to the seriousness of the allegations and the public safety implications, the criminal investigations division thoroughly investigated this report,” the post reads. “After speaking to witnesses and questioning the individual about inconsistencies in her account, she confessed that she fabricated the story as an excuse for being late for work.”

Authorities advised the public to be more cautious about what they post on social media.

“We caution the public about posting accounts of unverified information, especially if it is likely to cause panic or widespread misunderstanding,” police said. “Should incidents occur that constitute a major public safety issue, we will notify the public as soon as possible.”

This story was originally published November 3, 2017 at 10:58 AM with the headline "She was late to work so she falsely reported a crime against officer, Alabama police say."