Crime & Safety
A Penny Saved is A Lesson Learned; Ames Man Arrested for Wasting Cabbie's Time
A man who wanted to pay a cab fare in change was eventually charged with theft and public intoxication for wasting time while counting pennies, criminal complaints said.
A 25-year-old Ames man was charged with fifth-degree theft for slowly counting pennies intended for a cab fare, according to criminal complaints.
Ames police were called to the Kum & Go on Mortensen Road about 6 a.m. Thursday, June 27, when a cab driver's passengers reportedly refused to pay the bill.
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Police said that the driver and the 25-year-old had agreed that he could pay in quarters but not just any change, complaints said. The man finally agreed to pay the fare at his home and began counting quarters for the $35 fare but then he started counting pennies and “purposely wasting time” complaints said. That's when the officer decided to arrest the man on charges of fifth-degree theft and public intoxication.
The man smelled of alcohol, had blood shot watery eyes and had poor balance, complaints said. The man requested chemical testing and his blood alcohol tested at .230 percent.
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