Yup. He's from West Virginia. :-)
Posted on 12/01/2004 3:45:32 PM PST by decimon
By JENNIFER BUNDY, Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A man who won a record $315 million in the Powerball lottery was taken to jail on charges of drunken driving and carrying a pistol, authorities said.
Jack Whittaker, 57, was arrested Tuesday night after his Hummer struck a concrete median on the West Virginia Turnpike near Beckley.
Senior Trooper M.J. Pinardo reported that he smelled alcohol but Whittaker refused sobriety tests and was "extremely belligerent." Troopers also said they found a small pistol in Whittaker's boot and he was carrying $117,000 in cash.
Whittaker, who was alone, complained of back pain. He was treated at a hospital, and then jailed early Wednesday.
Whittaker was released after he was arraigned and posted $1,700 bail. Besides the DUI and weapons charge, he was charged with failure to maintain control of his vehicle and failure to submit to a breath test.
It was the latest in a series of incidents involving Whittaker since he took home the largest single jackpot ever.
Whittaker's vehicle, business and home have allegedly been broken into multiple times.
The body of 18-year-old Jesse Joe Tribble was found at Whittaker's home in September. Tribble's death was not a crime and Whittaker was out of town at the time.
Whittaker also faces charges of assaulting and threatening a manager at a bar in January.
All that cash in his pocket and he couldn't hail a cab?
This guy is either going to kill somebody or himself. He seems to be burning himself out with all that money.
What the hell is wrong with him?
It's Good To Be The King!
This guy again?
Proving, once again, that most cannot handle riches.
watch the libbies line up at the jail looking for a hand out. i remember when he first won the money he had to hire people to answer all the requests for handouts.
Anybody who carries that much cash is asking to be robbed and/or killed.
I was just reading the article out loud to my husband a minute ago, didn't know it was also on FR! Yeah, like I wouldn't have had a driver waiting?
obviously the lack of money was not his biggest problem.
Failure to submit to a breath test is a crime? I thought the roadside tests were voluntary???
Yup. He's from West Virginia. :-)
I will help him carry the money next time.
Could be worse.. could be this lady.
http://www.lotterypost.com/news-101747.htm
I'm still trying to figure out how divine justice deemed this man to be the winner in the 1st place. . .
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