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A 23-year-old man from Rhinebeck, Cyril Uebbing, faces charges for falsely reporting multiple fire incidents during the week of Christmas. Authorities allege that Uebbing, a new member of the Hillside Fire Department, made five false reports to Dutchess County 911 between December 23 and December 26.
According to Daily Freeman, the reports included claims of black smoke from a chimney, the smell of gas, and an ATV in a ditch. The state police, alerted by the Hillside Fire Department's chief, arrested Uebbing on December 30. He is charged with five felony counts of falsely reporting an incident.
The New York State Police confirmed that Uebbing made the calls using his cell phone. He was released with an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Rhinebeck Town Court on January 8, 2025.
The Hillside Fire District serves the towns of Rhinebeck and Hyde Park, but Uebbing is not a member of the Village of Rhinebeck Fire Department, according to Mid Hudson News.