Suspicious $100 bills bore Lincon's image

MESA, Ariz., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Police in Mesa, Ariz., have arrested a man accused of trying to buy a watch with two counterfeit $100 bills bearing the image of Abraham Lincoln.

A court document said the owner of the store where Scott Martin attempted to use the bills bearing the image of the 16th president stunned the suspect with a Taser after he became violent when confronted about the alleged counterfeit money, KPHO-TV in Phoenix reported Tuesday.

Fire personnel who arrived at the scene to treat Martin found five more of the suspect $100 bills and one allegedly counterfeit $20 bill after they cut off his shirt, the document said.

A police officer said some of the bills had matching serial numbers in addition to the watermarks of Lincoln, whose face is printed on $5 bills. Legitimate $100 bills carry the visage of Benjamin Franklin.

Authorities said Martin told them during his treatment that he had swallowed a bag of methamphetamine.

At the time of the incident, Martin was out on bond for similar charges of allegedly using counterfeit $100 bills in Apache Junction, Ariz., detectives said.