Golden Sun eXtra Your Local News Source, Mohave County, AZ

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You're cruising along the highway when you see a bunch of green bills fluttering around like flakes in a snow globe. You get closer and you realize it's cash. Other drivers are pulling over to snatch what they can. What do you do?

Imagine having your commute turn into a morality play. What's your first reaction? Do you slam on the brakes, jump onto a busy highway and start scrambling? Do you slow down to get a closer look? Or do you keep driving, guilt-free but without a surprise payday? OK, now what if your kids were in the car?

You walk in to the motor vehicle office, take care of your business, and as you walk toward the exit, you see an envelope on the floor. You reach down and pick it up and discover it is full of cash, a lot of cash. What would you do?

It wasn't hypothetical for a Mohave Valley woman on Friday morning at about 11:00 a.m. She's the one who picked up the envelope and found the money.

Karen Koebel, of Mohave Valley, did not look around to see if anyone was watching. She did not see the person that dropped the envelope. She had no idea who to give the money to. Thoughts quickly ran through her mind about all the things she could do with that money. What would you do?

The money could have been someone's paycheck, but no, that's too much money. Someone may have sold their house or their car. Maybe it's drug money. Or perhaps it's someone's life savings. What if it is stolen money? Whoever it came from and whatever the money came from, it was not her money.

Would you put as much money in your pockets (as you could) and run?

Suppose someone put the money there to see what the person that found the money would do. What if your kids were with you? Would you call 911? Or would you put the money in your pocket or purse and attempt to calmly walk away?

Karen Koebel has a sick husband and she could certainly use the money. But Karen is an honorable person and she turned the money in to Pam, the manager at the Motor Vehicle office in Bullhead City.

But then Karen had second thoughts about what she had just done. Karen asked Pam what would happen to the money if no one claimed it. Pam told her that it would go back to the state.

Back to the state? -- Really?! -- And what would the state do with it? Put it into a kitty used to pay for some of their little excursions?

Did Karen do the right thing? What would Jesus do?

Brian Gilliam said, "I have been without a job for six months. My kids have been sick. We have house payments to make. The price of gas is going up, Brian said. "If I was alone, I would probably keep it. But if my kids were with me, I would have turned it in."

Judy Green said, "I believe in karma. I would try to reach the right person and give it back."

Karen Koebel is attempting to find the right person and give it back. She called the Golden Sun eXtra News.

If you are the person who dropped the envelope with the cash, you can contact Pam at Motor Vehicle to get it back. Then you can contact us here at GSX News to offer a big "Thank You" to Karen Koebel for doing the right thing.

UPDATE 3.27:
Karen Koebel called back to GSX News on Tuesday that she got word from Motor Vehicle that the owner came back and claimed the money.

Karen said a lady at Motor Vehicle opened the envelope and found a bank deposit slip. It had a name on it. She found the phone number in Motor Vehicle records and called the man. He came in and claimed his money.

Karen also said the man was given her phone number. He called her to say "Thank You." The man was visiting Arizona from Alaska.

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