§ 14:327 — Obstructing a fireman

§327. Obstructing a fireman
A.(1) It shall be unlawful for any person intentionally to obstruct any fireman while
in the performance of his official duties. Obstructing a fireman is hereby defined as
intentionally hindering, delaying, hampering, interfering with, or impeding the progress of
any regularly employed member of a fire department of any municipality, parish, or fire
protection district of the state of Louisiana, or any volunteer fireman of the state of Louisiana
while in the performance of his official duties; or cursing, reviling, or using any opprobrious
language directed at any such fireman while in the performance of his official duties.
(2) For the purposes of this Section, "fireman" shall include all persons defined as
"emergency medical services personnel" by R.S. 40:1075.3, all persons defined as
"emergency medical services personnel" by R.S. 40:1131, and any firefighter regularly
employed by a fire department of any municipality, parish, or fire protection district of the
state of Louisiana, or any volunteer fireman of the state of Louisiana.
B. Whoever commits the crime of obstructing a fireman shall be punished as
follows:
(1) If the act constituting the offense is equivalent to manslaughter or attempted
murder as those crimes are defined in the Louisiana Criminal Code, he shall be imprisoned
at hard labor for not less than ten nor more than thirty-five years.
(2) If the act constituting the offense is equivalent to aggravated battery as that crime
is defined in the Louisiana Criminal Code, he shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor
for not less than five years nor more than twenty years.
(3) If the act constituting the offense is equivalent to simple battery, aggravated
assault, or false imprisonment, as those crimes are defined in the Louisiana Criminal Code,
he shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars or
imprisoned for not less than two years nor more than ten years, or both.
(4) If the act constituting the offense is equivalent to simple assault as that crime is
defined in the Louisiana Criminal Code, he shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars
nor more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not less than one year nor more than
five years, or both.
(5) In all other cases, he shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars nor more
than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not less than six months nor more than five
years, or both.
C. Whoever attempts to commit the crime of obstructing a fireman shall be fined not
less than two-thirds of the minimum fine nor more than two-thirds of the maximum fine
provided in Subsection B of this Section or imprisoned for not less than two-thirds of the
minimum term nor more than two-thirds of the maximum term as provided in Subsection B
of this Section, or both. For the purposes of this Subsection, an attempt shall be defined as
provided in R.S. 14:27.
D. The penalties provided in this section for the crime of obstructing a fireman shall
be in addition to any other penalties provided by existing law.

Legislative History

Acts 1968, No. 183, §§1 to 4; Acts 2005, No. 29, §1; Acts 2014, No. 664, §1.