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CHP posts reminder that decorations in cars do not count as passengers in a carpool after spooky citation

After pulling over the driver in the carpool lane, officers found a lifeless entity seated beside them, CHP - San Jose said in a Facebook post

Driver caught with spooky — and illegal — co-pilot in carpool lane, California cops say

“While #spookyseason is upon us, it’s important to remember that decorations being transported in the passenger seat do not qualify to meet carpool requirements,” CHP wrote.

CHP San Jose

By Daniella Segura
Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.)

SAN JOSE, Calif. — A driver was cruising down a highway when their odd-looking passenger caught the eye of California Highway Patrol officers.

After pulling over the driver in San Jose, officers found a lifeless entity seated beside them, CHP - San Jose said in an Oct. 11 Facebook post.

The driver’s passenger was a plastic skeleton topped with an eerie, hooded face mask and buckled in with a seat belt, a photo shared by CHP shows.

“While #spookyseason is upon us, it’s important to remember that decorations being transported in the passenger seat do not qualify to meet carpool requirements,” CHP wrote.

A photo shared by CHP shows an officer handing the driver what appears to be a ticket through the sedan’s passenger window.

Driving in the carpool lane with fewer than two people can result in a fine of at least $490, according to the California Department of Transportation.

Facebook users were quick to crack jokes, with some defending the skeleton, which “was wearing (a) seatbelt” after all, and others asking if the officer had to “check for a ‘pulse?’”

“But officer, I was alive when we left the house,” another quipped.

Driver’s skeleton passenger gets him a ticket on the ‘Bony Express,’ Texas cops say

Driver dressed up skeleton in passenger seat to drive in carpool lane, WA trooper says

Why are cops calling this ruse to drive in California carpool lanes ‘one of the best?’

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(c)2024 the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.)
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