Days After Claiming Prize, $167M Winner Is Behind Bars

No sooner had a Powerball winner cashed in his $167.3 million ticket this week than he was behind bars. James Farthing learned Sunday in a call from his mother that he had won Kentucky's biggest prize ever, which he claimed the next day. On Tuesday, records in Florida show, he was arrested. Farthing is charged with battery of a police officer, a felony, WLKY reports. The arrest documents indicate the officer was trying to break up a fight between Farthing and another person at a hotel in Pinellas County when the lucky winner kicked the officer in the face.

Officials booked Farthing into jail early Wednesday morning, and records show he was still in custody as of Friday, per the AP. Linda Grizzle had gone to lottery headquarters in Louisville with her son on Monday. "It's going to be a good Mother's Day," she said. "This is going to pay off my debt." Farthing told WKYT-TV on Sunday that the money would help his mother. "I've caused a lot of stress on her, you know, I've made some bad decisions in life," he said. (More lottery winner stories.)