Cab

Annapolis police were investigating the death of an 18-year-old man who was fatally shot yesterday by one of two men who escaped in a taxi cab.The body of Darryl Downs, of Ternwing Drive, was found about 5 p.m. yesterday in front of the Bywater public housing project in the 1800 block of Copeland St. Downs was shot once in the back of the head.Police said two suspects were seen leaving the shooting scene in a cab. No arrests have been made.

Hailing a cab in Baltimore could get more difficult this summer. With the average gas price threatening to top $4 a gallon, several Baltimore cabdrivers said yesterday that the steep jump in fuel costs is taking money out of their pockets and forcing them to wait more at taxi stands, where riders come to them, rather than driving around the city and burning fuel while trying to pick up fares. "You can't drive around all day," said Otisi Okiyi, 50, a Diamond Cab driver, while parked at a taxi stand at the Inner Harbor yesterday.

EVERY once in a while, when you hop into a taxi cab, you get lucky.You aren't immediately suffocated by a Blueberry Hawaiian Punch odor emanating from the ubiquitous pine tree-shaped air freshener.There's no plexiglass separating you from the front seat, so you don't feel so much like a criminal being hauled to jail in the back of a squad car.It's a clean car, well-maintained, so no matter what part of town you're driving through, "riding shotgun" loses its ominous literal connotation.If you're really lucky, the driver speaks English.

Anne Arundel County police arrested a 23-year-old Glen Burnie man at his home yesterday and charged him with attempted murder and carjacking in connection with the robbery of a taxicab driver Friday night and subsequent chase by officers.Ronald Alan Spangler of the 300 block of Rose Ave. was arrested about 8:25 a.m. He was treated at North Arundel Hospital for a gunshot wound to his foot before being jailed to await a hearing on charges.Police charged Mr. Spangler with taking money from cabbie Robert Christopher at gunpoint in the 1200 block of Old Dorsey Road in Hanover, and taking his cab about 11:10 p.m. Friday.

One of three men accused of robbing and strangling an Aberdeen taxi driver, stuffing his body into a cab's trunk, then plunging the cab into a Harford County quarry received a life sentence yesterday.In an agreement with prosecutors, Billy Joe Brinegar, 23, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and kidnapping.In return for the state's not seeking the death penalty, Brinegar agreed to testify against a 31-year-old alleged accomplice, Stanley J. Baczeski Jr., whose trial is set for Feb. 8. Assistant State's Attorney Joseph P. Meadows said the state will seek the death penalty against Mr. Baczeski.

A cabdriver was fatally shot last night as he transported a passenger in Baltimore's Charles Village after a road rage incident on a nearby street, city police said. No arrest had been made late last night, and the nature of the argument was not known, said Agent Donny Moses, a city police spokesman. About 9 p.m., Northern District police received a call of a shooting in the 100 block of W. 28th St. between Maryland Avenue and North Howard Street, Moses said. "When police arrived, they found the driver of a Checker cab slumped in the driver's seat bleeding from a bullet wound to the head," Moses said.

A 78-year-old woman who was sitting on the steps of her Southwest Baltimore rowhouse was killed yesterday when she was hit by a speeding taxi. The taxi driver told police he lost control when a passenger pulled out a gun to rob him.Annie Harrell, who had lived in the 1800 block of Penrose Ave. since the early 1970s, was a fixture on her steps, where neighbors say she sat every day to keep watch on the street and chat with people passing by."It's hard to understand how this happened, but it did," said Dorothy Jackson, 75, one of her neighbors and friends.

Two East Baltimore women have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of a cabdriver during a robbery attempt Wednesday night in Northeast Baltimore.David W. Tidwell, 47, a driver for Overlea Cab Co., was shot at least once in the head with a .32-caliber handgun while in the 1100 block of Woodbourne Ave., police said. He was declared dead at the scene.Arrested shortly after the shooting were Crystal Brown, 24, of the 2200 block of Mura St., and Lena Andrews, 24, of the 4100 block of Echodale Ave.In addition to being charged with murder, both women were charged with attempted armed robbery and using a handgun in the commission of a felony.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Crime doesn't pay? Ask mugger Ocie McClure.Mr. McClure, who admitted robbing a Japanese tourist on San Franciso's Market Street, won $24,595 yesterday for injuries suffered when a cab driver chased him down and pinned him against the wall with the cab.Mr. McClure, who is serving a 10-year sentence in state prison for the May 1989 robbery, sued taxi driver Holden Charles Hollom for using "excessive force" when Mr. Hollom used his taxi to pin Mr. McClure's leg against a building on Hayes Street near City Hall.

PHILADELPHIA -- At least 38 people were injured early yesterday when a taxicab plunged through the glass front wall of a crowded riverfront-area nightclub celebrating its grand opening, police said.A Cherry Hill, N.J., man said he was on the dance floor about 12:45 a.m. when the cab seemed to "explode" into the private Club Deco at Front and Spring Garden streets. He said that people were hurled into the air and that at least one person was pinned under the cab.The injured were taken from the club and rushed to Hahnemann University Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Temple University Hospital, and Frankford Hospital Torresdale Campus.