Colin Davis McCarthy, 38, told police he was “doing well and wanted to bless others with gifts of money,” KVAL reported.
McCarthy estimated his “blessing” amounted to around $200,000, though authorities cannot confirm the precise amount.
Oregon State Police responded to a call Tuesday evening about a person throwing U.S. currency out a window on Interstate 5 near milepost 192.
After a warning from the police, McCarthy agreed to discontinue “littering,” as it was creating a hazardous condition on the highway near Glenwood, an unincorporated community in the eastern part of the the Beaver State.
Drivers who spotted the “floating” cloud of cash did a “thorough job of gathering the loose money,” according to the OSP.
“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 dollars!” a woman on the scene told KEZI of her unexpected windfall.
“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,” OSP Lieutenant Jim Andrews told the outlet.
“I know the troopers considered charging him with that or arresting him, but after a conversation with him they elected not to.”
The family described McCarthy’s behavior as “normal” for him. However, relatives also said he drained the family’s shared bank accounts to deliver the “blessing,” which left them “penniless,” KEZI reported.
The family, who say they know chances of the money’s return are slim, are asking for anyone who picked up the cash to turn it in to the OSP.
“Because [the accounts are] shared, they both have equal interests in the money,” Lt. 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,” he added.
Though the OSP discouraged the practice, some people were still “roaming Interstate 5” for a few days hoping to spot a stray bill, according to KHOU.
Watch KHOU’s coverage of Colin Davis McCarthy’s unusual giveaway below.
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