A Bend cab driver was threatened with a realistic toy pistol Wednesday night, brandished by a customer who used the gun to avoid paying the fare, according to Bend police.
Mark Farnsworth, 25, of Bend, was arrested and jailed on charges of second-degree robbery, menacing and theft of services. He is also being held on a Wyoming warrant for delivery of controlled substances.
Farnsworth took the cab from a downtown Bend bar to his home on Southwest Garfield Avenue. Upon arrival, he told the cab driver, 45-year-old Mark Dietrich, that he would have to go inside to get the money to pay the fare. Dietrich held Farnsworth’s ID card, but when Farnsworth returned, he pointed an Airsoft pistol in the driver’s face.
Dietrich complied, and returned Farnsworth’s card.
Police were called to the area shortly after 11 p.m. and determined Farnsworth was inside his home. He refused to comply with initial instructions to come outside but eventually surrendered to officers.
Farnsworth is being held on $55,000 bail and is due to appear in court Tuesday.
