Ohio Supreme Court says cell-phone smash is unlawful

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has reinstated a felony conviction of a man who smashed a cell phone to keep his nephew from calling 911 while they fought.

The state’s highest court ruled unanimously Wednesday that Raynell Robinson of Marysville in central Ohio violated a state law against disrupting public services.

A lower court had tossed out the conviction, saying the law was meant for large-scale interference with utilities and emergency systems.

But the justices said there was no such language in the law and found it could be applied to the destruction of a single phone being used to communicate with emergency personnel.

Robinson, 37, had been sentenced to 15 months behind bars on the disrupting public services count.