Jack Whittaker, who won the $315 million largest jackpot in history, was jailed on charges of drunken driving and carrying a pistol yesterday
Powerball winner arrested again
Charleston, West Virginia, Nov. 2 — Jack Whittaker, who won $315 million in the Powerball lottery — the largest jackpot in history — was jailed on charges of drunken driving and carrying a pistol yesterday, authorities said. Recently the dead body of Jesse Joe Tribble, found in Whittaker’s home, made news headlines.
Senior Trooper M.J. Pinardo reported that Jack Whittaker smelled of alcohol but that Whittaker refused sobriety tests and was "extremely belligerent," after his Hummer hit a concrete median on the West Virginia Turnpike near Beckley. Troopers also said they found a small pistol in Whittaker's boot and he was carrying $117,000 in cash.
Whittaker was arrested, and jailed early Wednesday, but later released after he was arraigned and posted $1,700 bail. Besides the DUI and weapons charge, he was also charged with failure to maintain control of his vehicle and failure to submit a breathalyzer 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 Scott Depot home in September. Jesse Joe 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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