Lafayette Man Finds $5,000 Check in Salvaged Car, Seeks Owner

A Lafayette man is on a personal mission to return what could be a significant amount of money to a woman he believes may not even know it exists.

Paul Falgoust says he recently visited the Lafayette Pull-A-Part salvage yard in search of replacement parts for a 2012 Chevy Traverse he had just purchased at auction. What he found instead was somewhat of a mystery—one that could be worth $5,000.

Falgoust posted on Facebook claiming that he came across another silver Traverse that he was examining for usable parts at the salvage yard. He lifted the hood and discovered a folded piece of paper wedged near the radiator. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a check for $5,000 made out to a woman named Kirstie Sonnier, dated February 22, 2025, and signed.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Falgoust wrote in his post. “It looks legit, like someone was trying to pay for the damage. I have the check and am looking for Kirstie Sonnier to verify her identity and provide some record containing the vehicle’s VIN. It’s simply too much money to ignore.”

While it remains unclear whether the check is valid, whether Sonnier ever knew it existed, or if she even intended to cash it, Falgoust is determined to do the right thing by locating her.

There is also a possibility that Sonnier directly deposited the check already. We've contacted the LafayettePull-A-Part store, and they confirmed that a silver 2012 Chevy Traverse arrived yesterday (2/27/25).

“If you know a Kirstie Sonnier who was recently in a crash in a vehicle like this, tell her to reach out,” he said to his followers.

For now, the unusual discovery is still surrounded in mystery, but it could be very valuable for someone. Falgoust hopes the right person sees his message and claims what could be a small fortune—especially after crashing your vehicle.

In the worst-case scenario, it's no big deal, and the check gets ripped up. In the best-case scenario, well...

We'll certainly follow up if this is a legit $5k payday for one lucky Kirstie.