Lottery Winner Found Asleep in Running Car

Police officer at patrol car during traffic stop at dusk — Photo: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock

Police say a $167 million Powerball winner was found asleep in a running car at 3 a.m. and arrested for public intoxication in a Walmart lot.

Story Snapshot

Deputies say they found James Farthing asleep in a running car at a Walmart and arrested him for public intoxication.
Officers reported the smell of alcohol and marijuana, slurred speech, and poor balance, according to summaries of the arrest citation.
Reports say video did not match Farthing’s claim that someone else drove the car and left him there.
This marks at least the fifth arrest since his $167 million win, drawing outsized media attention.

What Deputies Reported At The Scene

Scott County deputies responded before 3 a.m. after a caller reported a white Ford Mustang at an intersection that later parked at a Walmart on Osborne Way. Deputies say they found winner James Farthing in a running car and woke him by knocking on the window. Reporters who reviewed the arrest citation say officers noted alcohol and marijuana odors, bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech, and unsteady balance. Farthing was booked on public intoxication in a public place.

Local outlets say deputies described him as “manifestly under the influence” and a danger because he may have driven while impaired. Reports add that Farthing told officers a woman drove him and left. Summaries say nearby surveillance did not show anyone exit the Mustang after it parked, which undercut his claim. No report cited a breath or blood test; the charge and probable cause rested on officer observations and the location of the running car.

How The Account Was Corroborated By Video And Statements

Several reports say the timeline began around 2:57 a.m. near the Cherry Blossom and Connector Road intersection, then moved to the Walmart lot. Outlets that reviewed the citation reported that store video showed no one leaving the Mustang, which conflicted with Farthing’s claim about a female driver. That detail matters because it shapes whether deputies believed he recently operated the vehicle while impaired. The booking was for alcohol intoxication in a public place, not for driving under the influence.

The arrest drew wide pickup because of Farthing’s past legal issues since his lottery win. National and regional outlets framed this as his fifth arrest, which magnifies a routine charge into a high-profile story. That framing fits a common pattern: officer observations create probable cause for public intoxication, while the subject’s fame turns a narrow incident into headline news. Local television stations reported similar facts from the citation and booking records, keeping the core details consistent.

Why This Case Resonates Beyond One Parking Lot

Public intoxication cases often hinge on visible signs rather than lab tests. Courts regularly treat speech, balance, smell, eyes, and context as enough to justify an arrest when taken together. Reporters say deputies cited that “totality of circumstances” here, from the running car to physical signs and the time and place. People across the spectrum see a different problem: famous names get rapid media judgment, while everyday cases pass quietly, which deepens mistrust in fair treatment.

The larger concern is balance. Voters think the system should keep roads safe and also avoid trial by headline. This case shows both tensions. Deputies acted on what they saw and heard. Newsrooms amplified the story because of the jackpot and arrest count. Readers can hold two ideas at once: the facts support an arrest for public intoxication, and the hype around a lottery winner can blur what the actual charge is and what evidence the law requires.