Fla. woman chooses to go jail over $7.45 bill

[October 21, 2008]  FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) -- A woman decided to go to jail rather than pay her bill at a Fort Pierce Waffle House restaurant. The total she went to jail over: $7.45. According to a police report, Maryanne O'Neill, 66, ordered coffee and a sandwich at a Waffle House restaurant on Saturday but refused to pay the bill.

The report said an officer asked her to pay or go to jail and she refused.

A jail official said she was released Monday from the St. Lucie County Jail. She was charged with obtaining food or lodging with intent to defraud, a second-degree misdemeanor.

If convicted of a second degree misdemeanor she could face up to 60 days in jail and a fine of $500.

___

Information from: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers: http://www.tcpalm.com/

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.