LaGRANGE — A few fortunate drivers picked up some extra cash on Friday about 12:30 p.m. as they traveled on Vernon Street near the intersection of Forrest Avenue.

As if it were heaven-sent, dollar bills in all denominations fluttered through the air and landed in the middle of the roadway, said a witness.

“I was going down Vernon and I saw a lot of traffic,” said Dana Leggett of LaGrange. “Then I saw one car pull over and another car pulled over. Then I realized there’s money everywhere. I thought, ‘I’ll pull over and see what’s going on.’ I got out of the car and started picking up the money. I was really anxious to turn it over to somebody.”

Leggett said at least four other cars and their drivers also pulled over to gather the cash.

“It was out there for the taking, anyone could stop,” Leggett laughed. “Everyone else around us was laughing. I waved it (money) to the person in the car behind me and said, ‘I’m taking it to the police station. I’m not keeping it!’ The driver just laughed.”

Leggett stayed true to her word and immediately took the $25 dollars in cash she collected to the LaGrange Police Department and filed a report.

“I thought either someone robbed a bank or someone lost their paycheck,” she explained. “It’s very weird and very, very strange.”

A LaGrange officer called 911 dispatchers to see if a crime was reported like a bank robbery or purse snatching, stated LPD officials. As of 5 p.m. Friday, no one had disclosed any loss of money.

The police officer also checked the authenticity of the dollar bills, Leggett said.

“They said they were real,” she stated. “The bills didn’t turn any weird color (when marked with a counterfeit detection pen) and they weren’t in a particular sequence. They said it is legal.”

Leggett was prepared to turn the cash over to the police for safe keeping, but she was told to hold on to it.

“I’m not a wealthy person by any stretch of the imagination, but this money isn’t mine,” Leggett stated. “So I gave the officer my phone number and told them to call me if anyone comes up there. … I’ll hold on to it for a little bit and see if they call.”

An officer called Leggett back Friday afternoon and collected the money for further investigation, LPD officials stated.

LaGrange police are hoping to identify the other people who grabbed the cash from the roadway. They would also like to talk to folks who may have seen who or what dropped the money in the middle of Vernon Road.

Anyone with information is asked to call the LaGrange Police Department at 706-883-2603 or Troup County Crime Stoppers at 706-812-1000. Callers can remain anonymous.