A Lake Grove man was ticketed Thursday and accused of using a phony passenger while driving in the HOV lane on the Long Island Expressway.

Highway Patrol Officer Jonathan Abrams was traveling on the Long Island Expressway just before the Sagtikos Parkway at exit 52 when he became suspicious of the front passenger of a Nissan in the HOV lane at around 7:15 p.m., according to police.

Police say Officer Abrams pulled over the driver, Justin Kunis, and found a drama mask attached to the headrest of his front passenger seat in an attempt to make it look like he had a passenger.

Kunis, 20, was issued a summons for the HOV occupancy violation.