Man throws thousands of dollars on Oregon highway — on purpose

EUGENE, Ore. (KEZI) – After a man threw thousands of dollars in cash out the window of his car on Interstate 5 on Tuesday night, several random bystanders are experiencing a sudden windfall – while family members of the man said their bank accounts were totally emptied for his stunt.

According to Oregon State Police, troopers responded to Interstate 5 near milepost 192 just south of Eugene at about 7:23 p.m. on April 11 after hearing a report of money being thrown out of a vehicle. OSP said troopers on the scene identified as Colin Davis McCarthy, 38, as the person throwing the money. Troopers said they spoke with McCarthy, who allegedly told them he was doing well and wanted to share the gift of money with others. OSP, worried about the hazards associated with people running around the interstate to grab free money after dark, asked McCarthy to stop throwing the cash, and he agreed to stop. According to OSP, McCarthy told them he had dispersed about $200,000 during the incident.

OSP stuck around for a while to ensure public safety but did not charge McCarthy with a crime. Several bystanders did pick up the thrown money, and it was almost completely gone by 8 that night.

OSP Lt. Jim Andrews said that his officers continued to look for any additional money, but after constant searching, he feels the money is all gone.

“They were unsuccessful at locating any, so the people that originally stopped on scene did a pretty good job of cleaning it all up,” Lieutenant Andrews said.

“It’s hundred-dollar bills floating around, and I’m like, ‘What!?’ So my boyfriend and I decided to go one way, he goes the other way, and so far I’ve found $300!” a woman on the scene said during the incident.

Oregon State Police said they later spoke with a relative of McCarthy. Troopers said the relative told them that this was normal behavior for him. However, the relative also told troopers that McCarthy had gained the money he threw on the interstate by draining his family’s shared accounts, leaving them penniless.

“Because it’s shared, they both have equal interests in the money,” Andrews said. “To prevent something like that happening if you were estranged, you would definitely want to create a secondary bank account and then take out a portion of the money that you believe is rightfully yours.”

Andrews ultimately said that what McCarthy did was very dangerous, and his officers did think of charging him for it.

“He could have been charged in a situation like this for danger being created because of his actions — disorderly conduct, potentially reckless endangering, but most likely disorderly conduct,” Andrews said. “I know the troopers considered charging him with that or arresting him, but after a conversation with him they elected not to.”

This article first appeared on fellow CNN affiliate KEZI. It is used with permission.