Arizona driver cited for carpooling with inflatable Grinch

PHOENIX (AP) — The Grinch came early for an Arizona driver who tried to pass off an inflatable figure of the Dr. Seuss character as a passenger.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety says a state trooper last week noticed a car in a high-occupancy vehicle lane on Interstate 10 in Phoenix with a “Seusspicious-looking” green passenger.

While the gag may have caused the officer’s heart to grow, it did not stop the driver from getting cited for being in the HOV lane during a restricted time.

The agency, however, could not help but post a photo of the Grinch figure with the driver’s face blurred on its Twitter account.

Officials say they appreciate the “festive flair” but that the driver’s action was still illegal.

They are urging motorists to follow traffic laws.