Two Marines arrested after taxicab chase on Okinawa

CHATAN, Okinawa — Two Marines are in Okinawa police custody Monday after taking a joyride in a taxi Sunday in Chatan’s American Village, police said.

Lance Cpl. Matthew J. Eckersen, 21, assigned to Camp Foster, and Lance Cpl. Shane R. Stodghill, 20, from Camp Courtney, allegedly drove away in a taxi parked with the key in the ignition at about 6:45 p.m. Sunday, according to a spokesman for Okinawa prefectural police in Okinawa City.

While the 50-year-old cab driver called police, his fellow cabbies at the taxi stand reacted quickly, the spokesman said. He said the cabbies chased the vehicle, allegedly driven by Eckersen, with Stodghill in the back seat, south on Highway 58.

A motorcyclist joined the pursuit until police took the lead, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the chase ended in about 30 minutes when the stolen car bumped and scraped the sides of the five cars at Isa Intersection, including two driven by Americans. At that point, the taxi became inoperable, police said.

Eckersen and Stodghill fled the scene on foot but were arrested about 330 yards from the highway, the spokesman said.

A breath test given to Eckersen detected 0.51 milligrams per liter of alcohol, exceeding legal limits of 0.15 milligrams. Stodghill’s breath indicated 0.7 milligrams of alcohol, police said.

Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Adrian Rankine-Galloway said Monday in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes that the Corps would not comment on the case while it remains under investigation.

Meanwhile, Okinawa police will forward the case Tuesday to the Naha District Public
Prosecutor’s Office, the spokesman said.

Stars and Stripes reporter Natasha Lee contributed to this report.