CASH CRASH

WICHITA, Kan.- Some people will do anything for a buck.

Dozens of motorists stopped on busy U.S. 54 in west Wichita at rush hour last Thursday morning to scoop up cash flying out of an armored car.

Three wrecks ensued, at least one motorist received minor injuries and traffic backed up for miles on U.S. 54 and Interstate 235, which intersects with it.

All because of some $1 bills - several thousand of them, according to police. Early police reports indicated that $50,000 was released from the truck, but authorities now estimate that $10,000 was lost.

The truck was owned by Armored Services Inc. The owner of that company, who declined to give his last name, wouldn't say exactly how much money was lost.

The excitement began about 6:45 a.m. when a motorist noticed the airborne bills and signaled the driver of the eastbound armored car that its back door was open, police Lt. Walt Kuykendall said.

"We had a slight wind, and that was causing the money to blow around," Kuykendall said.

The driver doubled back for about two miles, to the spot where the windfall began. Police were already on the scene, helping recover the money and trying to control the chaos.

"We had people bailing out of cars," Kuykendall said. "We had to close down the highway so we didn't injure any more citizens and to assist with the pickup of the money."

Much of the money was recovered, some from the people who had stopped to pick it up. One group formed an orderly line and, one by one, handed the dollars over to police.

"But some citizens weren't volunteering," Kuykendall said. "Their attention had to be gotten, and they were - I'm not sure how to say this - they were made to turn over the money."