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Meet the skeleton sitting in the front seat of Kent man's car

by CHRIS DANIELS / KING 5 News

Bio | Email | Follow: @ChrisDaniels5

KING5.com

Posted on January 5, 2012 at 12:25 PM

Updated Friday, Jan 6 at 6:50 PM

NEAR KENT, Wash. -- Bryan Stime admits he was frustrated by his daily drive.

“It’s a heck of a commute,” says the Edgewood man about his commute to Lynnwood.  He grew frustrated at watching people in the HOV lane pass him over and over again.

“Since my commute was so bad, I started thinking,” says Stime, “Blow up doll, Mannequin?”

He took home a skeleton in a sweatshirt, and the rest was history.

“I had to see if it could be my carpool buddy,” says Stime, who admits using it up until he was pulled over December 20th for aggressive driving.

The Washington State Patrol said Stime's silver Mazda was going 82 mph on northbound I-5 near S. 272nd Street during the morning commute on Dec. 20. Stime was allegedly making unsafe lane changes, including driving in the HOV lane.

When troopers stopped the driver, they found the fake passenger wearing a seat belt.

The trooper said, “Are you kidding me? No officer, I’m not kidding,” said Stime.  “He pretty much told me congratulations, you’re gonna get your picture taken.”  

The trooper snapped the photo of the belted skeleton, and “gave me a learning” says Stime, who was handed a $454 dollar ticket.  The HOV violation was $124 alone.

Stime was ticketed for speeding, unsafe lane change and driving solo in the HOV lane.

As a result, Stime says the skeleton will remain in the closet.

 

 

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Comments: Displaying 1 - 15 of 38

savvydude2003 said on February 21, 2012 at 6:26 PM

Typical liberal Microsoft employee who thinks he is above it all and the rules don't apply to him

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bottom_line said on January 9, 2012 at 9:30 AM

I traffic in that area is as bad as it is in my area I would have used this excuse, "But officer, he was alive when I started the commute..."

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PatchesPal said on January 8, 2012 at 9:10 AM

Shoreline, Well done I could not have said it any better! That is the problem these days dumb a** drivers thinking they are above the law and are some special drivers that are so much better than the other drivers. They should double all of the traffic fines then double the highway patrols and start writing tickets for EVERY infraction If you want to pay right then and there when you get pulled over then the ticket it half price but if you decide to take it to court (even though most who do know dam well they are guilty) and you are found guilty you pay the FULL price of the doubled ticket plus ALL court costs this should help save the lives of the innocent people that get involved in accidents with these idiots. If Everyone who is doing over 70 and making improper lanes changes were to receive a citation this state would be out of money troubles in the first year. Like you said Stupid is as stupid does for these guys that think doing 82 is ok during rush hour.

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William_Stewcf8 said on January 8, 2012 at 5:36 AM

To Paraphrase Redd Foxx Bryans skeleton could use a mold for gorilla cookies.Yikes!

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Barbara_Bark3dd said on January 7, 2012 at 8:20 PM

E P I C...

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shoreline said on January 7, 2012 at 3:38 PM

xjokerz, According to the story, the WSP pulled this guy over for aggressive driving and unsafe lane changes. I didn't make that call. I'll leave that determination to the WSP who certainly are more expert than you. As for 82 in a 60, this was during the morning RUSH HOUR commute! I know the area well and drive it frequently. 82 mph in anything more than light traffic IS a big deal. I've scraped a lot of people off the concrete in my career who think like you do. Most of them were 18-25 year old punks who think they're NASCAR drivers. Could you be one of them? Why don't you talk to traffic engineers, WSP troopers, Firefighters, ER doctors and the M.E. office about how big a deal these speeds are in areas with moderate to heavy traffic? Stupid is as stupid does....

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palinsux said on January 7, 2012 at 9:03 AM

Is the skeleton's name Donner? How 'bout Alfred Decker?

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seattle_fudge said on January 6, 2012 at 8:49 PM

bluesdudewa, I think it's pretty darn funny as well...

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realitychk said on January 6, 2012 at 5:15 PM

The trooper snapped the photo of the belted skeleton, and “gave me a learning” says Stime, who was handed a $454 dollar ticket" That's funny. A learning. An expensive learning. Guess he didn't learn from the last person who tried to use a "passenger".

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walts said on January 6, 2012 at 2:31 PM

funny as hell but if you're gonna do something like this slow down and don't draw unwanted attention

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xjokerz said on January 6, 2012 at 12:44 PM

Shoreline... Driving 82 in a 60 is NOT a big deal. I see people doing it all the time on I-5 and 405, as well as I-90 (people probably do 95-100 in some areas but that's a 70). If it was 22 over in a city or in a 30 or 35 MPH zone, yes it would have been a much different ballgame. 22 over on a freeway is not nearly as major. And you might also think that driving fast (not speeding, there is a difference) and merging in tight (but safe) spots is considered aggressive driving. Well guess what... it's not. You must be some poor driver from the sticks who has never met some driver just trying to get to work. Sure he was speeding, but like I said. 22 over in a city or a low speed zone is a big deal. 22 over on a freeway is not. Like bluesdudewa said, people are wound up way too tight. I thought this article was hilarious.

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missalex01755214 said on January 6, 2012 at 10:57 AM

what an idiot, but here's a thought. off you people who moved into the burbs should have taken your jobs with you or move back into the city and show some pride. I have no sympathy about 'how long it takes to drive' when you move out into the boonies.

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shoreline said on January 6, 2012 at 8:33 AM

bluesdudewa, what part of going 82mph in a 60 zone, making unsafe lane changes, and aggressive driving is hilarious? This guy is just another low-life cheat who doesn't think the rules apply to him. Plus he cares nothing for the safety of himself or others. Yeah... hilarious.

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trixterra06 said on January 6, 2012 at 7:53 AM

Hey Bryan, when you're in front of the judge just say, "I am an idiot your Honor." That way you admit you are an Idiot and may not have to pay the whole freaking fine! Just tell the truth! LOL!!

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gritz said on January 6, 2012 at 7:42 AM

Nobody got the skeleton in the closet reference?

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stryker said on January 6, 2012 at 7:12 AM

Moral of the story.... if your gonna be a dummy... and use a dummy... in the HOV lane, do the speed limit, use your blinkers and dont draw attention to your self. LOL!

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firemedic173 said on January 6, 2012 at 7:09 AM

Well that sucks. I for one have suffered similar commute issues and my frustration with the lack of enforcement for HOV violators makes me really mad sometimes. If you call the HOV hotline, they ask the date, time, location, make/model, color and license plate of the car. Cars usually pass so quickly that you can't get all the info or there are so many passing you have to choose which one to report. I started voice recording it all then sending an email to the state with more than 100 violators reported on a daily basis from Tacoma to Lynnwood or reverse commutes. I finally gave up on the commute and moved closer to work to save time and frustration. HOV Violators suck!

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bluesdudewa said on January 6, 2012 at 6:31 AM

AM I the only one who thinks this stroy is hilarious? Lighten up people! It is amazing some of you can even function in today's society. You are all wound way too tight.

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stonetrails said on January 6, 2012 at 6:20 AM

stonetrails avatar

interesting math. . .

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nickc said on January 6, 2012 at 6:16 AM

The state needs to make the ticket for HOV violation a lot more before people will sto trying to cheet, $500 minumum for first violation and doubling every violation. $500 first, $1000 second, $1500 there'd and so on. People won't like it but I bet they will stay out of the HOV unless they have two or more people in the car.

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stonetrails said on January 6, 2012 at 5:37 AM

stonetrails avatar

@kitsapkommuter - If they double the fine for dummies in a vehicle, my ex will be ticketed every day. . . So, where's the petition, I'm signing it today. Yeah baby, yeah

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stonetrails said on January 6, 2012 at 5:33 AM

stonetrails avatar

@sargemcc - Yes, you would get a ticket. Case in point: Shortly after the HOV lanes went in, an HOV lane driver was pulled over. Turns out he worked for a funeral home and was transporting cadavers in his van. He took the ticket to court, where it was ruled that the "intent" of the legislature was that the passengers be living passengers and not some facsimile thereof. The creative driver paid the fine. On another note: jackwong still don't know jack$#!^

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jackwong said on January 5, 2012 at 11:49 PM

Just hire a lawyer... you'll get out of it.

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sargemcc said on January 5, 2012 at 11:24 PM

If the passenger is a REAL skeleton, as in lived at one time, would you get ticketed? If you did, could you file a discrimination suit? Questioning minds want to know!

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SarekOfVulcan said on January 5, 2012 at 10:48 PM

I always felt guilty using the HOV lane with my family, but hey, 4 people in the car...

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coyotebmw said on January 5, 2012 at 7:32 PM

@ snakepliskin, you hit the nail on the head. This guy could be the poster child for the aggressive drivers.

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snakepliskin said on January 5, 2012 at 7:20 PM

It might have worked if he wasn't driving like an idiot. He drew attention to himself. What a doofus.

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skippypotpiebaby said on January 5, 2012 at 6:12 PM

Doc Bones

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remainingreal said on January 5, 2012 at 3:47 PM

PEOPLE! It didn't work for the DIEGO DOLL guy a while back. Why do you think it would work for YOU?!? Do you really think that you are fooling the cops? They've seen it all, man! I would not only pull them over, but give them a ticket for neglect letting that person become a skeleton, for crissakes!

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josefina said on January 5, 2012 at 3:43 PM

Pretty thin excuse.

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cscott952 said on January 5, 2012 at 2:26 PM

At least the skeleton was buckled up!

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imsioux said on January 5, 2012 at 1:48 PM

well maybe he was stuck in traffice so long the passenger died, could be legit.

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kitsapkommuter said on January 5, 2012 at 1:39 PM

Until there's an additional fine or penalty, HOV cheaters have nothing to lose by for faking a passenger. Double the fine for HOV cheating if you have a dummy, and this practice will go away.

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stryker said on January 5, 2012 at 1:22 PM

Yawn, this is ancient news... lol

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phil49 said on January 5, 2012 at 1:09 PM

He just didn't get it from his passenger. Speed kills. Should have let his buddy drive.

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nyb2010 said on January 5, 2012 at 12:59 PM

I don't abuse the HOV lane but I'm almost glad some people do to lessen the congestion in the other lanes! I always love the stories about creative passengers in the HOV lane. I've read of dolls, even a blow up doll, but this is the first skeleton I've heard of. Atleast it wasn't real!

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gottabebacon said on January 5, 2012 at 12:40 PM

Great, one cheater down, 500,000 to go. If this didn't make headlines on December 20th, why 3 weeks later?

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coyotebmw said on January 5, 2012 at 12:33 PM

We need more stops like this. I see a lot of people abusing the HOV lane and been aggressive in the process.

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