Mannequin stunt earns 'road time' for motorist

Mannequin stunt earns 'road time' for motorist

WESTMINSTER, Colo - A judge Thursday ordered a carpool-lane scofflaw and his dummy to take their act on the road.

Municipal Court Judge John Stipech sentenced Greg Pringle to spend four, one-hour sessions standing on a major roadway in Westminster, a Denver suburb, holding a sign that says: "The HOV Lane Is Not For Dummies."

Stipech also said Pringle can be accompanied by Tillie - the $10 mannequin he constructed to earn him access to the fast-moving high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane on U.S. 36 in Westminster.

"But remember," Stipech said, "the dummy is not charged with anything."

And if they wind up on David Letterman's show, the city of Westminster will get a cut of the proceeds.

Earlier this year, Pringle had grown frustrated at the number of passenger-less automobiles flying past him in the HOV lane while he waited in rush hour traffic on U.S. 36.

HOV lanes are reserved for buses, motorcycles and automobiles with two or more passengers.

So Pringle assembled Tillie and placed her in his passenger seat in hopes of also using the HOV lane without raising suspicion.

The ruse worked until the 54-year-old Pringle was stopped by Westminster police officer Mark Watters on Jan. 26. He cited Pringle for driving an unauthorized vehicle in the high-occupancy lane.

Tillie was taken as evidence.

"I'm sure you thought it was a good idea, and for a time it was," said Stipech. But carrying the sign will show other drivers "that there will be consequences for doing something like this again," Stipech said.

Stipech also fined Pringle $100 and placed him on six months unsupervised probation to ensure that he doesn't profit from publicity surrounding the case.

"If he goes on Letterman with this, then you can go after him," Stipech told city prosecutor Kimberly Kaufman.

Pringle said he's sold about $100 worth of "Free Tillie" T-shirts and that all the proceeds will go to help fund an alcohol-awareness program for teens.

Police also will accompany Pringle when he starts his sentence Monday, most likely at the intersection of U.S. 36 and Federal Boulevard, said police spokesman Trevor Materasso.

"Hopefully, some good will come from this," Pringle said. "I thought the sentence was a little harsh, but maybe it was to embarrass me a little bit."