AUBURN — A long-haul truck driver from Turner was arrested Thursday on the Maine Turnpike in Auburn and charged with using phony license plates on his rig for up to six years to avoid paying more than $1,300 in tolls, state police said.

Danny Olson, 61, owner of Olson Transportation, had license plates in the truck that were not registered to him, according to a news release by Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

For the past two months, the Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Unit has been attempting to identify a truck driver who has been avoiding tolls on the Maine Turnpike for up to six years.

One of the bogus plates belonged to a man who was dead and a second plate belonged to someone who was not believed to be involved in the scheme, the news release said.

Thursday afternoon state police stopped Olson’s big rig in Auburn as he was driving from New Hampshire. His truck was towed because of safety violations.

Olson was arrested and taken to Androscoggin County Jail, where he was charged with theft of services, having a false log book, failing to retain previous log books, illegal attachment of registration plates, unauthorized taking of registration plates, and failing or neglecting to pay tolls, the release said.

He was freed on $2,500 cash bail.

According to the Maine Department of Motor Vehicles, he was cited in 2004 and 2013 for seat belt violations and in 2013 for excessive vehicle length. 

Danny Olson (Maine State Police)