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A FLORIDA man was hit and killed on a highway as drivers got out of their cars and tried to grab spilled cash that was flying about.
Kevin Elliot McCourt stopped his car on I-95 south in Providence, Rhode Island, on Wednesday morning before he was tragically struck.
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Video shows people on the road dodging cars and grabbing the bills that were flying around.
McCourt crossed the southbound lanes and crossed into the northbound lanes where he was hit by a Volkswagen SUV.
It is not clear if he was trying to crash as state police have not confirmed if there is a connection between McCourt and the money.
McCourt was hit at 5.41am, 45 minutes before the sun rose meaning his was likely struck in the dark.
State troopers were also filmed scrambling around trying to pick up the area of the highway grabbing the money and putting it into bags.
It is not yet clear how the cash got onto the road.
Locals told NBC10 news it was “crazy” money was flying about.
One said: “I think that’s crazy, is there more money to be found?
“It’s totally not worth getting out of your car to grab cash.”
Another said: “The economy is tough right now, free cash. I don’t blame anybody for picking it up though.”
While a third added: “It’s really sad to hear that someone got hit over all of that.
“I hope whoever lost that money didn’t need it too much and it’s real sad for that guy’s family.”
There was another crash on the southbound lane at a similar time that also blocked lanes.
Both sides of the highway were cleared about 7am.
Earlier this year in Indiana cash flew over a highway after an armored vehicle wasn’t locked properly.
The $20 bills were scattered on the highway, prompting people to jump out of their buses and vehicles to cash in.
Meanwhile, a man has recently spoken about how he found a bag full of money on his way to work in 2015.
Dan Kennedy saw an orange bag spill into the road from a truck in front of him while driving.
Worried that the bag would become a traffic hazard, Kennedey pulled over near the Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah to grab it.
“I thought it was going to be light. I reached down to grab it, and I couldn’t move it,” he told local NBC affiliate KSL-TV.
RULES ON FINDING MONEY
The saying ‘finders keepers’ is not always true as people who find money and keep it may quickly find out.
While State and local laws may differ slightly, the majority will require you to attempt to find the owner of the money.
If you fail to make “reasonable efforts” to track down the owner, many states will be able to charge you with theft or larceny of lost property.
The penalty will most likely be based on the value of the lost property as larger finds that are kept without making “reasonable efforts” to find the owner may be classed as a felony rather than a misdemeanor.
The term “reasonable efforts” includes asking people nearby if they dropped any cash, checking the envelope or wallet (if there is one) for an ID, handing it into a nearby store, or contacting the police on a non-emergency line.
Some laws will authorize the police to return the money to the finder if no one has claimed it after a period of time.
Always check your local and state laws which will most likely outline what to do if you find property or cash.
It is also advised that you contact the police or a criminal defense lawyer who can assist in what the laws state and how you should proceed.
Source: Criminal Defense Lawyer
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