HOV-lane dummy sells for $15,000 on eBay

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Mar 26, 2006

DENVER (AP) -- A makeshift mannequin that failed to fool police monitoring the high-occupancy vehicle lane on Highway 36 fetched $15,000 in an auction on eBay, with proceeds going to charity, the buyer announced.

Denver-based Video Professor bought the Styrofoam head, coat hanger, and clothing stuffed with newspapers from HOV scofflaw Greg Pringle, 53, of Broomfield, said Brian Olson, spokesman for the computer tutoring company.

As part of his sentence handed down earlier this month, Pringle agreed to donate any profits from a Web site -- launched to free "Tillie" after she was impounded by police -- and the auction to the Alive At 25 driver safety awareness program.

Pringle also was fined $115 and ordered to hold a sign alongside the highway for four hours reading: "HOV lane not for dummies."