2-nation taxi ride ends with an arrest

A Bangor woman hired a taxi in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for a $600 ride to Maine, but was arrested and charged after she drove off in the cab during a stop in Washington County, state police said Sunday night.

Maine State Police Trooper Micah Perkins said Stephanie Williams, 18, hired Halifax-area cabdriver Brian Hill to drive her to Bangor for $600 in U.S. currency, apparently early Sunday.

Hill, 62, is an owner-operator of Barter Taxi Service, Perkins said.

It was not clear when the incident began or why Williams wanted to hire a taxicab for the 500-mile trip.

Perkins said Trooper Timothy Black received a call from Hill shortly after 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Hill told the trooper that while he and Williams were stopped and both had entered Daggett’s Variety Store in Topsfield, a northern Washington County town, Williams ran out to the taxicab and drove away, heading north toward Danforth on U.S. Route 1.

Black was far to the south when he received the call. Meanwhile, a person listening to a police scanner reported seeing the car, a white Lincoln, on Route 1 in Brookton, between Topsfield and Danforth.

Perkins said Williams drove the taxicab about 20 miles north, from Topsfield to Danforth, then another 20 miles on Route 169 from Danforth southwest to Springfield, then on Route 6 back to Topsfield, where she turned north again on Route 1. Altogether, the car traveled in a 60-mile loop, Perkins said.

When Perkins came on duty at 4 p.m. he headed north, too.

At 4:30 p.m. Indian Township police Officer Larry Phelps, off duty in his own car, wound up driving directly behind the Lincoln, which was eastbound on Route 6 in Carroll. Phelps notified Troopers Black and Perkins of the car’s location and continued to follow it.

Black and Perkins caught up with Williams in Brookton at 4:45 p.m. and arrested her without incident. Perkins said Williams was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He said no alcohol or drugs appeared to be involved in the incident.

Perkins noted that even though it is faster to take Route 9 from Calais to Bangor, out-of-state drivers often take Route 1 north to Route 6 to intersect with Interstate 95 in Lincoln.

Hill reportedly was driving his taxicab back to Halifax on Sunday night and could not be reached for comment.

Perkins said Hill still hadn’t received his $600.