Money thrown onto freeway jams traffic as people stop to collect cash

Cash thrown along the 210 Freeway by a 56-year-old man whom authorities described as emotionally disturbed caused a small traffic jam today as drivers pulled over to pick up the bills.

California Highway Patrol officers arrived at the westbound 210 Freeway near Grand Avenue just after noon and found about 10 people outside their cars attempting to pick up the bills, CHP Officer Anthony Martin said.

A short time later, the man who tossed the money walked into the nearby Azusa Police Department headquarters and told officers that he wanted to commit suicide, Lt. Steve Hunt said. Officers determined that the man had been throwing cash out of his vehicle while driving down the freeway.

Los Angeles County fire officials took the man to a hospital for further evaluation, Hunt said. It was unknown how much money the man threw away. Those who stopped to pick up the bills were asked to return the money to Azusa police or to the CHP’s Baldwin Park office.

-- Corina Knoll

Comments

[fred]

OK, I'll be right there to return the $1737 I scooped up.

[Jesse Shannon]

I was driving through an intersection just south of Laguna Beach today and saw a bunch of bills blowing through the intersection around that same time today as well.

[anon]

no way. $1737???? Beats my $340 by a long shot!!!

[steve]

i was one of those people who picked up some bills along the 210 frwy. i collected about $ 800 and now they are asking me to return it ! sure, but first let me pay my bills.

[Bill]

This is not the first time someone has tossed cash on the freeway. --- Best was an armored car in Ohio with an open door, they actually got half of it back.

[Ginny]

if you where a true human being you would do the right thing and give back the money iam sure the man has a loving family and now has medical issue they would have to take care of we are all GODS people find it in your heart and give back the money carma is a bad thing we all have bills and are going throught tough times if people would think about if that happen to them . would you WANT them to do what you are doing to them.DO THE RIGHT THING GIVE BACK THE MONEY!!
GOD BLESS EVERYONE

[Rob]

Sure, give the money back to the police...who knows what they're going to do with it. I think people who picked it up should keep it since the guy obviously didnt want it anymore and now the new money owners can pay off debts.