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 resist posting 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.