§16-4C-19. Obstructing or causing bodily injury to emergency medical service personnel; criminal penalties.

(a) It is unlawful for any person to intentionally obstruct or interfere with any emergency medical service agency personnel engaged in the act of delivering or administering emergency medical services. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or confined in the county or regional jail for a period not more than one year, or both fined and confined.

(b) It is unlawful for any person to willfully cause bodily injury to any person designated to be an emergency medical personnel engaged in the act of delivering or administering emergency medical services. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in a state correctional facility not less than one nor more than ten years or fined not more than $5,000, or both fined and confined.

(c) Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent law-enforcement officials from controlling traffic and otherwise maintaining order at the scene of an accident, injury or illness where an emergency medical service agency is rendering services.

(d) No person may willfully fail or refuse to comply with a lawful order or direction of any emergency medical service agency personnel engaged in the act of delivering or administering emergency medical services, relating to directing, controlling or regulating traffic, so long as such order or direction is conveyed by a retro-reflective hand signing device. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof: (1) For a first offense shall be fined not more than $100; (2) for a second offense occurring within one year of a previous conviction shall be fined not more than $200; and (3) for a third and subsequent offense shall be fined not more than $500.