Pure Madnesson

Early this afternoon, the Union Cab dispatcher received a call that one of the company's cabs had been hijacked. The dispatcher quickly decided not to phone police when he was told that the hijacker was Madison's mayor.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz had called the cab from the City County building around 1:00 pm. When it arrived, the mayor hopped into the front seat and began singing "2-4-2-2-0-0-0-Union-Cab" over and over again. When the driver asked the mayor for a destination, Cieslewicz continued singing the jingle. Finally, the driver told Cieslewicz he would need to get out of the vehicle. At that point, the mayor pulled out what resembled a real gun and told the driver to get out, then slid over to the driver's seat and stole the taxi.

It appears the mayor had no destination in mind and was just out for a joy ride, as he drove in circles around the city at a high rate of speed singing the Union Cab jingle loudly out the open windows. The joy ride finally came to an end when Cieslewicz entered the Beltline at John Nolen Drive and immediately had a panic attack. He pulled over to the side of the road and called 911 from a cell phone. Cieslewicz was transported to the University Hospital where he was treated and released.

A representative from Union Cab says that the company opted not to press charges. The Madison Police Department also does not plan to charge Cieslewicz with any crime. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be a factor. The mayor's office declined comment on the incident but did issue a brief statement saying that Cieslewicz has been under a great deal of stress lately and is being treated for related symptoms.