Apparently, driving a stolen car on a nearly deserted highway during a travel ban isn’t the best way to make a clean getaway.

Two Worcester men were arrested Tuesday afternoon after State troopers spotted the Toyota SUV they were driving in on Route 495 near Hopkinton. Eastern Massachusetts was under a travel ban at the time, prohibiting most cars from driving during Tuesday’s blizzard.

The SUV had been stolen out of Lowell, according to a post on the Massachusetts State Police website .

With minimal traffic on Route 495, due to the travel ban in effect for the blizzard, the vehicle was soon spotted by Trooper Greg Doherty as it traveled southbound on Route 495 behind a procession of plows.

Troopers pulled over Andrew J. Cormier, 27, and Shaun A. Janson, 22, who were charged with violating the state travel ban, operating a stolen vehicle, receiving stolen property, as well as possession of a substance believed to be heroin.


The two men were expected to be arraigned Thursday morning at Framingham District Court.