Trent Steel
12-02-2004, 09:05 AM
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A man who won a record $315 million in the Powerball ('http://"http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/wrap/linker.jsp?floc=&ref=http://search.netscape.com/nscp_results.adp?source=nsstorysearch&query=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.
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Its kind of like when Phelps was arrested for a DUI. Seriously with all of that money that they have, why cant they afford a taxi?
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.
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Its kind of like when Phelps was arrested for a DUI. Seriously with all of that money that they have, why cant they afford a taxi?