This Monday, a Kentucky man made headlines for winning a $167 million Powerball jackpot. By the end of the week he made more headlines for a very different reason: allegedly kicking a cop in the face.
WKYT reported Monday that James Farthing, a 50-year-old Kentucky man, purchased a Powerball ticket last Saturday at Clark’s Pump n’ Shop in Georgetown, Ky. He told the station that he often buys tickets at the store.
This time, his mother called him Sunday morning to tell Farthing that he was the winner. The New York Post reported that he plans to share the winnings with his mother.
According to affidavits shared with Audacy by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Farthing and his girlfriend were arrested Wednesday, just days after he learned that he won the jackpot, for getting into a fight at the Tradewinds Island Resort in St. Pete Beach, Fla. His girlfriend was identified by law enforcement as Jacqueline Fightmaster, 42.
Per the affidavit regarding Fightmaster’s arrest, she was intoxicated, making incoherent statements and causing a public disturbance. The incident was further described as Fightmaster “actively engaging in an argument involving other guests and her boyfriend,” and it allegedly involved her “trying to fight the other patrons at the bar.” Authorities said hotel staff wanted to press charges.
In the affidavit regarding Farthing’s arrest, it said he struck someone and then refused to comply when a officer told him to turn around and put his arms behind his back. He also allegedly attempted to flee on foot.
Also, while authorities were breaking up a fight between the defendant and another patron, he allegedly kicked an officer in the face, striking their right cheek with his foot. According to the officer, this caused pain in their face as well as swelling and redness near their right eye.
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office arrest records show that Farthing was charged with resisting an officer without violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, battery and parole violation. As of this Friday, records showed that he was still in custody. Fightmaster was charged with disorderly intoxication and was released Wednesday, according to court records.