Two Marines accused of failing to pay taxi fare

Two Marines accused of failing to pay taxi fare
Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, September 10, 2008

CHATAN, Okinawa — Two Marines assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma were in Okinawa police custody Monday on suspicion of failing to pay a 2,000 yen (about $19) cab fare.

According to an Okinawa Prefectural Police report, the two men hailed a cab in Okinawa City at 2:25 a.m. and asked to be taken to the Marine air base.

However, they redirected the cabbie to the Mihama shopping district in Chatan and fled after the taxi stopped, a police spokesman said.

The driver called police, who later found the two men, both 21, hiding in bushes, the spokesman said.

Theft charges were forwarded to the Naha District Public Prosecutor on Sunday.

A Marine spokesman said military police are cooperating in the investigation.

Ellie