August 19, 2004

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  Stephanie Willett outside Metro Center Station, where she was arrested.

  
  

  Mouthful Gets Metro Passenger Handcuffs and Jail

  
  

  By Lyndsey Layton
  Washington Post Staff Writer
  Thursday, July 29, 2004; Page A01
  

  
  

  Stephanie Willett was eating a PayDay candy bar while riding the escalator from 11th Street NW into the Metro Center Station. Metro Transit Police Officer Cherrail Curry-Hagler warned Willett to finish the candy before entering the station because eating or drinking in the Metro system is illegal.

  
  

  Willett nodded, kept chewing the peanut-and-caramel bar and stuffed the last bit into her mouth before throwing the wrapper into the trash can near the station manager's kiosk, according to both Willett and Curry-Hagler.

  
  

  Curry-Hagler turned around and followed Willett into the station. Willett was searched, handcuffed and arrested for chewing the last bite of her candy bar after she passed through the fare gates. She was released several hours later after paying a $10 fine, pending a hearing.

  
  

  "We've been doing our best to crack down on people who are consuming food and beverages in our stations because we get so many complaints about it," said Lisa Farbstein, a Metro spokeswoman.

  
  

   "Chewing is eating," she said.

  
  

   

  • 9:34 am
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