Motorist caught with a mannequin in Katy HOV lane HOV cheaters learn officers, fellow drivers are no dummies

Officers monitoring the Interstate 10 HOV lane confiscated this mannequin and gave a citation to Steven Antonich, of Katy. He was allowed to keep the hat. Officers monitoring the Interstate 10 HOV lane confiscated this mannequin and gave a citation to Steven Antonich, of Katy. He was allowed to keep the hat. Photo: Harris County Precinct 5 Constab Photo: Harris County Precinct 5 Constab Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Motorist caught with a mannequin in Katy HOV lane 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

If you're driving down the road and happen to notice that the passenger in the car next to you is a mannequin, you might think nothing of it, this being Houston and all.

But not in the Katy Freeway's High Occupancy Vehicle lane. Not when you've recruited a live passenger.

And not in the "managed lanes," where you need an EZ Tag for the privilege of paying the toll.

"We get a lot of calls with stuff like this - people complaining that they have to pay the toll but they see a lot of cars in the HOV with only one (occupant)," said Capt. Terry Allbritton with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office.

Precinct 5 deputies monitor the Katy's managed lanes and HOV lanes for toll violators, speeders and other offenders.

More people than you might think resort to commuting with mannequins to save time and money, Allbritton said.

"I wouldn't say we get one every day, but we see it a lot," he said. "We've caught them with little dolls in the back seat to make it look like a child in the car."

About 5:20 p.m. Thursday, a Precinct 5 deputy caught Steven Antonich, 47, as he headed west in the Katy HOV lane with a mannequin in the front seat.

The floppy hat obscuring the odd-looking passenger's face didn't fool Deputy Cory Davis, who was standing next to his patrol car.

Davis hopped into his car and pulled up next to Antonich's vehicle, the captain said.

"It was definitely a mannequin," Allbritton said. "He was trying to use the HOV instead of the toll lane. He was issued a citation for failure to pay a toll."

Goes on driving record

Antonich, a Katy resident, admitted to having the mannequin in his car for a few months, Allbritton said. The mannequin was confiscated, but Antonich was allowed to keep the hat.

The citation for failing to pay the toll on a managed lane carries a $150 fine and goes on the violator's driving record, like a speeding ticket, Albritton said.

Since the managed lanes opened in October 2008, Precinct 5 deputies have written almost 17,000 citations for failure to pay tolls and other offenses, Allbritton said.

The most common excuse is time pressure, he said.

"People always say, 'I've got to get to work on time,' " Allbritton said. " 'I can't sit in that traffic.' "

In many cases, that simply means they don't want to pay the toll, since tolled lanes are available between Texas 6 and the 610 Loop, he said.

"West of Highway 6, there's no toll road," the captain noted. "That's where a mannequin would come in handy."

Watchful commuters

Deputies depend upon tips from other motorists, such as the one who ratted out a fellow commuter with a virtually undetectable fake passenger.

"There was no way to tell it was a mannequin, but someone called in with that lady's license plate and said, 'Hey, we know she has a mannequin in the car,' " Allbritton said.

To report suspected toll violators, call 713-222-7328. If possible, include the suspicious vehicle's license plate number.

carol.christian@chron.com

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