Lotter Winner Arrested After Altercation
Police recently shared a dramatic body cam video showing a Kentucky man allegedly assaulting a deputy at a Florida beach resort just one day after winning a staggering lottery prize.
On April 28, a mother-son duo, Linda Grizzle and her son, 50-year-old James Shannon Farthing, celebrated winning a whopping $167.3 million from the Kentucky Lottery. This jackpot marks the largest ever granted by the state. They purchased their winning $2 Powerball ticket from a convenience store in Georgetown.
Moments of joy were captured as Grizzle and Farthing posed with oversized checks, visibly excited about their unexpected fortune.
However, just the next day, Farthing’s luck seemed to take a nosedive when he was arrested in Florida shortly after claiming his massive jackpot.
Body camera footage from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office revealed officers attempting to detain Farthing following a bar fight at Tradewinds Resort in St. Pete Beach. At approximately 11 PM on April 29, deputies entered the bar to find two men engaged in a scuffle, while Farthing’s girlfriend, Jacqueline, was seen on the floor in distress.
At one point during the altercation, Farthing, who was shirtless, reportedly kicked a deputy in the face, as caught on the police body cam. “I was just kicked,” the deputy said in the video.
After handcuffing one of the men involved in the fight, officers directed their attention to Farthing. Despite attempts to restrain him, he allegedly resisted and tried to escape. The video captured a Taser being deployed multiple times in an effort to prevent his flight.
The deputy noted in the footage, “You saw me with him; you tried to kick him, and you hit me in the face!” Farthing could be heard apologizing, saying, “Sorry, man,” but the deputy responded, “Save your grief for later!” He proceeded to inform other officers that Farthing would be jailed for the incident.
Charging documents indicated that Farthing faced serious accusations, including battery against law enforcement. He was taken to the Pinellas County Jail with a bond set at $10,000 and pleaded not guilty.
Interestingly, it emerged that Farthing had not obtained permission from his parole officer to leave Kentucky. Following his arrest, he was transferred back to Kentucky in late May, landing in the Scott County Jail until recently.
Farthing’s past paints a troubling picture, with a lengthy criminal history that has reportedly seen him incarcerated in numerous facilities over the years. He’s been tagged as a “permanent felon” by Kentucky law enforcement, and court records indicate a checkered past involving serious charges, including drug distribution and violent offenses.
While his recent lottery win offered a glimmer of hope for a new beginning, the incident raises questions—will this dubious behavior overshadow his newfound wealth? Only time will tell as Farthing prepares for his upcoming court appearance in September.
