Kentucky man who took home $167 million lottery jackpot is arrested again
Por Isabel Keane — – World RSS Feed
Kentucky man who took home $167 million lottery jackpot is arrested again
James Farthing, 51, was arrested after police found him intoxicated and asleep in running car in a Walmart parking lot
Isabel Keane in New York Monday 21 September 2026 18:43 EDT
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A Kentucky man who won a $167.3 million Powerball jackpot — the largest prize in the state’s history — was arrested for the fifth time since claiming his earnings last year.
James Farthing, 51, was arrested Sunday morning in Georgetown, about 15 miles north of Lexington, after police found him intoxicated and asleep in a running car that was parked in a Walmart parking lot, WLEX reported.
The police had been called just before 3 a.m., after receiving a report that a white Mustang with a temporary tag was stopped in the middle of an intersection. The caller later told dispatchers that the vehicle had finally moved and was now parked in a Walmart parking lot.
When deputies arrived, they found the vehicle parked and running near an electric vehicle charging station. Farthing was alone and asleep inside the vehicle, according to a citation from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.
Farthing, who made headlines in April 2025 after saying he would split his prize money with his mother, didn’t wake up at first. Deputies had to repeatedly knock on his car window in order to get him to wake, according to the report.
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open image in galleryWhen he emerged from the car, he smelled of alcohol and marijuana, had bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech and difficulty maintaining his balance, authorities said.
Farthing told police that a woman had driven him to the Walmart parking lot and left him there, but surveillance footage did not show anyone exiting the Mustang after it pulled into the parking lot.
Deputies wrote in the citation that Farthing was “manifestly under the influence of alcohol” and posed a danger to himself and others since he may have operated the vehicle while impaired.
Farthing was arrested just after 4 a.m. and charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place. He was taken to Scott County Detention Center, according to the report.
His arrest was the second in a matter of months and the fifth since he won the $167.3 million Powerball jackpot in April of 2025.
In July, Farthing was arrested on charges of first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault in connection with domestic violence allegations. The incident involved an unidentified woman who told police that they argued on a boat trip, and when they returned, Farthing put both hands around her neck, restricting her breathing.
Farthing pleaded not guilty in that case. A judge set his bond at $15,000 and ordered him to have no contact with the alleged victim. He was also mandated to wear an electronic monitoring device that alerts authorities if he violates the no-contact order.
open image in galleryHis trouble began just days after winning the Powerball jackpot when he was arrested in Florida following an altercation at a beach resort. He allegedly kicked a Pinellas County sheriff’s deputy in the face while officers were breaking up a fight and then attempted to flee before being tased. He later pleaded guilty and received a sentence of time served and $1,000 in fines.
Then, in February 2026, Farthing was arrested in Georgetown on an intimidation charge after a woman called 911, saying she feared for her life as people in a home might harm her.
Authorities found the woman hiding under a desk, and she told investigators Farthing had picked her up for a gathering before allegedly pressuring her into taking a “gummy.” During a search of his home, authorities found a handgun, ammunition, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
His third arrest came in March, when he was charged with second-degree burglary and marijuana possession. At the time, police alleged security camera footage showed him entering a Lexington home, where he was accused of stealing about $12,000 in cash.
One of the criminal cases from Fayette County involving burglary and marijuana possession was later dismissed, according to WLEX.
Farthing’s most recent case involving public intoxication charges is pending in Scott County District Court.
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