$300,000 still missing from armored truck mishap

NEW JERSEY (FOX 5 NY) - Authorities said that nearly $300,000 was still missing on Friday after an armored truck mistakenly dumped bags of cash on a New Jersey highway, sending drivers scurrying across the road to grab what they could.

The incident took place during rush hour on busy Route 3 West in East Rutherford.  The aftermath and scramble for cash caused two crashes after the events started unfolding at about 8:30 a.m.

Video of drivers walking in the middle of the normally busy road picking up money as vehicles drove by was shared on social media.

Sabrina Quagliozzi was aboard a bus where other travelers could be heard laughing and at other points aghast at the danger.

"$5, 20, everything," someone could be heard saying.   "Look at the accidents. Wow."

On Friday police said that more than $500,000, in two bags, fell out of the truck and ripped open. 

Police said that vehicle traffic along with the windy weather conditions caused the currency to become airborne and scattered along the highway.  Brinks workers and good Samaritans collected more than $205,000 of the cash.

$293,535 was still missing on Friday afternoon, according to police.  They added that $11,090 had been turned back in from five people who had taken cash from the road.

"At this time it appears the armored truck had a malfunction of one of its doors causing it to become unsecured," said East Rutherford Police Capt. Phillip Taormina.

Route 3 is a major artery in and out of New York City via the Lincoln Tunnel.  It was unclear if any injuries occurred in crashes related to the incident.

The East Rutherford Police Department was continuing to investigate.  Detectives were asking anyone with video or other information about the incident to call them at 201-438-0165.

This story was reported from New York.