Freeway Drivers Grab Money as Suspects Toss Thousands During Police Chase
SAN DIEGO - Thousands of dollars worth of hundred dollar bills brought rush hour to an abrupt halt on two San Diego freeways.
Drug suspects tossed the money from their car as they were chased by police. Other drivers saw the money and stopped their cars on the freeway to dash into traffic trying to get some of the cash.
San Diego Police Officer Chuck Kaye said the pursuit started after police, "got a request from DEA to assist in a traffic stop around Texas and Highway 8."
The pursuit began about 5 p.m. Thursday. The fleeing driver soon exited southbound SR-15 at Ocean View Boulevard in Logan Heights and drove over various city streets before re-entering the freeway, this time heading north.
Officers chased the truck on the state route for several miles, then onto Interstate 805 through the city's central districts and into its north-coastal reaches.
In several spots -- including Serra Mesa in the area of Murray Ridge Road and Sorrento Valley near Mira Mesa Boulevard -- cash was hurled out of the truck, prompting passers-by to run onto the roadways to grab it, according to police.
"He peppered out a bunch of money and everybody on the freeway, started hitting their brakes. It was a madhouse" said onlooker Matthew Vincent.
Vincent was so worried about his safety, he pulled his car to the side of the road. "There were cars pulled out everywhere. People running out. Chinese firedrill just grabbing cash."
Drivers ran into oncoming traffic, hoping to pick up stray $20 and $100 bills.
"It was a dream come true, we were in heaven" said Madison High School student Marco Casillas.
He ran into the traffic with his friends. "We saw one fly on the windshield and it was a $100 on my face and we just stopped and grabbed it... We were scared. We were parked halfway on the freeway, and halfway on the freeway...[But] we are football players and we were being greedy, and we were running and taking it from everybody, but then it got taken away."
Before they could escape with the money, officers seized the $1000 he and his friends had recovered.
As for the pursuit itself, at about 5:40 p.m., the fleeing driver, who may have run over a tire-flattening spike strip at some point during the chase, stopped in the middle of I-5 near State Route 56.
Officers then took the occupants of the pickup into custody, SDPD Sgt.
Alan Hayward said. The suspects' names and details on their alleged crimes were not immediately available. Police simply said "two adult males."
Nearly an hour after the pursuit began, officers were still retracing the suspects' path, collecting the scattered money.
More than $18,000 was been recovered by police, and they say it is illegal to keep the money.
They encourage San Diegans to come forward to police stations and return the cash.
Police do not know how much money was in the car, or how much is now missing.
The Drug Enforcement Agency confirmed that a warrant was issued for a house on 7125 Keighley St. in Allied Gardens.
The DEA tells San Diego 6 the warrant is related to the chase, but would not offer specifics.
At the end of the day, Madison High School student Jose Rios wouldn't have mind keeping the cash. "I thought it was somebody dropped their money, bad day for them, good day for us."
Rios' money was taken back by police, but still many San Diegans have a lot more money in their pockets than they anticipated when they started their commute home.