A 44-year-old Reading man who state police say was caught driving in the HOV lane with a mannequin in the front passenger seat has troopers urging other motorists not to "be a dummy."

Trooper Todd Glidden was monitoring traffic on Interstate 93 in Charlestown this morning when a "passenger" in one of the vehicles in the HOV lane "just didn't seem right," state police said.

And though Glidden motioned for the driver to pull over, state police say the man ignored his request. When the driver reached the other end of the HOV lane, state police say he ignored a second request from Trooper Kevin O'Brien to pull over.

When Glidden caught up with the car further up the highway, he found out the man was driving with a mannequin "passenger" that was wearing a baseball hat, sunglasses, a hoodie and a safety vest, according to a picture posted to the department's Facebook page.

The driver, whose name has not been released, was ticketed for committing an HOV violation and failure to stop for a police officer, according to police.

In their post urging drivers "don't be a dummy," state police stressed that "the HOV lane is for two or more, live human beings."

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