Belleville man wanted for skipping $480 cab fare found after OD call

By Michael Fleming

BELLEVILLE – A Belleville man wanted for skipping out on his $480 cab fare has been found after a call about an overdose case, Belleville police say.

The discovery was made Tuesday when police responded to a call from paramedics over a possible overdose situation. The call, at 11:15 p.m., was about a 29-year-old woman who appeared to have overdosed on crystal methamphetamine at a west-end home. During a search of the home, police say, they found two people hiding, one of them being the 37-year-old man who had taken a taxi from Toronto to Belleville Monday and then skipped out on the fare.

The other person found, another 29-year-old woman, was wanted on seven counts, including breach of probation, police say. She was also charged with obstructing a police officer. Both were taken into custody.

Police have charged the man with transportation fraud. He has been released on a promise to appear in court in February. The woman is being held for a bail hearing.

The woman who overdosed was taken to Belleville General Hospital.