Fake hostage report lands man in jail

Sheriff’s deputies and an ambulance were summoned to Florence early Saturday after a Florence man reported that people were being held hostage at a house in Florence.

Joshua J. Smalley, 40, Florence, told dispatchers that people were being held against their will, Undersheriff Larry Starkey said.

Marion ambulance was sent to stand by at Town and Country Café, where it remained on scene from 4:45 until 7:06 a.m. Deputies checked out the situation and found Smalley’s report false.

He was arrested on suspicion of making a false report to law enforcement and booked into county jail by Deputy Jesse Raney at 7:31 a.m.

Starkey said he did not know whether Smalley had been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident. Smalley has been jailed three previous times, including once for driving under the influence.