Unusual stunt lands students in jail (Girl found in duffel bag on bus)

News 14 Carolina ^ | 3.3.04 | Greg Pallone

[mhking]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Two Davidson College students were caught Sunday night trying to get a free bus ride from Charlotte to Vermont, police said.

Daniel Schwartz, 20, and his girlfriend, 19-year-old Mary Sawyer, did not have the $240 needed for a second bus ticket from Charlotte to South Hero, Vt., where Schwartz’s parents live. So they improvised, police said, by squeezing Sawyer into an oversized athletic bag that Schwartz carried on.

“It was a unique idea,” said Sgt. J.T. Williams of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. “A duffel bag is the only thing that I can really think they could have fit her into. I don't know about a suitcase, unless she's very limber.”

The students are charged with obtaining property under false pretenses. Both are being held in the Rowan County Jail on $500 bail.

The bag was 4 feet long and 1 foot wide. Sawyer is 5 feet 6 inches tall and 125 pounds.

Schwartz allegedly told other passengers on the Carolina Trailways bus that a girl might get out of the tiny space. Some notified the bus driver, who called 911.

The driver was instructed to pull into a Highway Patrol station in Rowan County -- about 40 miles into the trip. There, Schwartz and Sawyer were arrested.

“It is one of the most unusual things I've seen,” Williams said.

For a time, troopers said they thought they might have been dealing with a dead body in the bag.

Carolina Trailways said it is investigating the incident.

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[annyokie]

ISHP!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I guess if they didn't have the $240 for the second bus ticket then they certainly don't have the $500 (each) to make bail.

[azhenfud]

express shipping ping

[theDentist]

For a time, troopers said they thought they might have been dealing with a dead body in the bag.

And once the bag started moving, they'd have been worried they were dealing with the UnDead. And something tells me they dont have Buffy's phone number on speed dial.

[Mears]

I remember years ago people putting a kid or two in the trunk when attending Drive-In-Movies.

Yes,they released them after paying.

[Iscool]

I remember riding in the trunk to the Drive-In on a number of ocassions...Never got caught...

[Ronin]

Har!

Me too. It was a hoot. I think most kids would have rather rode in the trunk than in the back seat.

This guy's mistake was telling the other passengers in such an offhand manner. He should have just waited until everyone was asleep and then casually unzipped the bag.

Silly stuff.

[TheBigB]

I don't know about a suitcase, unless she's very limber

And if she is, the young man is very fortunate indeed. :)

[Mears]

If anyone did that today the all powerful state would come in and take the kids from the parents.

How on earth did we all survive?

[martin_fierro]

	Industrial Strength Humor
No amateurs, please. Send FReepmail if you want on/off ISHP list

[ElkGroveDan]

did not have the $240 needed for a second bus ticket from Charlotte to South Hero, Vt.,

It costs $240 to ride a bus?????

With advance booking you can get airfares far cheaper than that. Though I suppose some people ride the bus for the interesting personalities they get to meet.

[WL-law]

In my college days we would have hitched a ride on the interstate. It was free,reliable, and fun - and pretty safe, too.

[don'tbedenied]

Its good to know that shenigans like this are still going on at my Alma Mater. As we say:
"Duke, because everyone can't get into Davidson"

[mhking]

I'll see you one and raise you another...

[mhking]

I'll see you one and raise you another...

[BraveMan]

I'll call . . .

[JoeSixPack1]

I'm in..

And I'll raise

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I remember back in the early 1960's after the Berlin Wall went up,a man smuggled his girlfriend out of East Germany by enclosing her in a very thin suitcase. They made it!