ST. PETE BEACH, FL — Days after celebrating a $167.3 million Powerball jackpot, a Kentucky man’s newfound fortune took a dramatic turn as he was arrested for felony battery on a law enforcement officer during a violent altercation at a Florida resort.
James Farthing, 50, of Georgetown, Kentucky, was taken into custody early Wednesday morning after he allegedly punched a resort guest and kicked a sheriff’s deputy in the face while resisting arrest at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort in St. Pete Beach. Authorities said Farthing was intoxicated and uncooperative when officers responded to reports of a bar fight just after 11 p.m.
Farthing was celebrating his recent Powerball win with his girlfriend, Jacqueline Fightmaster, 42, and reportedly became aggressive toward police, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the New York Post.
The confrontation escalated when Farthing, who appeared “highly intoxicated,” struck the deputy, leaving him with swelling and redness below his eye, law enforcement officials said.
Farthing is now facing multiple charges, including:
Felony battery on a law enforcement officer
Battery
Resisting arrest without violence
To make matters worse, Kentucky authorities have issued a parole violation warrant for Farthing, citing previous convictions for theft, drug crimes, tampering with evidence, and engaging in organized crime. He was on parole through August 2025.
Fightmaster, who was reportedly yelling incoherently during the altercation, was also arrested for public intoxication, but has since been released.
Just days earlier, Farthing and his mother, Linda Grizzle, were smiling for cameras as they claimed one of Kentucky’s largest-ever lottery prizes at a Georgetown convenience store. The $2 Powerball ticket, purchased at Clark’s Pump-N-Shop, earned them the choice of $167.3 million in installments or a $77.3 million cash payout.
Grizzle, who called her son after realizing they’d won, had said: “This is going to pay off my debt. It’s going to be a good Mother’s Day.”
Now, Farthing’s fortune has been overshadowed by legal troubles and a pending court date in Florida. He is currently being held on a $10,000 bond, with $315 reportedly on his jail commissary account, according to WKYT.
