LIE Driver Had Phony Passenger in HOV Lane: Police

A driver was busted with a phony passenger in the HOV lane on the Long Island Expressway Monday afternoon, Suffolk Police said.

According to police, Highway Patrol Officer Andrew Spina was traveling on the LIE near Exit 51 in Dix Hills when he became suspicious of the front seat passenger in a 2002 Saturn sedan that was traveling in the HOV lane.

Spina pulled over the vehicle and observed that the driver, 34-year-old James Britt, had placed a mannequin wearing a sweatshirt, sunglasses, hat and jeans into the front passenger seat in an attempt to resemble a person, police said.

Britt, of Centereach, was issued a summons for the HOV occupancy violations.