By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
OC Hightower, 23, of Town Court South was charged with robbery and theft of services for refusing to pay the fare for a taxicab ride from the Capital Health Medical Center at Hopewell to his home in Lawrence at 12:50 a.m. Aug. 18, according to Chief of Police Mark Ubry.
The cab driver told Mr. Hightower the fare would be $40, Chief Ubry said. Mr. Hightower said he did not have any money, but that he would ask his mother for the money when they arrived at his home.
When they reached Mr. Hightower’s home, the driver asked him to call his mother for the money, Chief Ubry said. He told the driver that his cell phone battery was dead, and plugged it into a cell phone charger in the car.
The two men waited for a few minutes. Mr. Hightower appeared to be nervous, and the driver said he was going to call the police, Chief Ubry said. As he was making the cell phone call to the police, Mr. Hightower allegedly reached over and put his forearm against the driver’s neck.
Mr. Hightower told the driver to give him back his cell phone. He punched the driver in the head and fled, Chief Ubry said. He was apprehended a short time later, and was taken to the Mercer County Corrections Center.

