Full Notification

                                                                                                            For Immediate Release

                                                                                                            February 27, 2015

Incident:         Man Issued Summons for Driving with a Fake Passenger in HOV Lane

Location:        Long Island Expressway, near Exit 51, Dix Hills

Date/Time:     Friday, February 27, 2015 at 6:30 a.m.

A Suffolk County Police officer issued a traffic summons to a driver who was caught traveling in the HOV lane with a fake passenger in his vehicle on the Long Island Expressway in Dix Hills this morning.

Suffolk County Highway Patrol Officer Jonathan Abrams was on HOV enforcement on the Long Island Expressway at 6:30 a.m. when he observed a red pickup truck speeding in the westbound HOV lane near Exit 51. Officer Abrams pulled over the vehicle and when the officer approached the vehicle, he noticed the driver, James Campbell, had a wooden figure wearing a hooded sweatshirt in the passenger seat.  Campbell told the officer that he was driving to a new job and did not want to be late.

Campbell, 56, of Brentwood, was issued summonses for speeding and occupancy violation.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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