Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
Powerball Winner’s Luck Runs Out After Beach Resort Brawl in Florida
Just days after winning Kentucky’s largest Powerball jackpot ever, James Farthing’s dream vacation turned into a criminal nightmare.
The 50-year-old Georgetown native, who recently split a $167.3 million Powerball prize with his mother, Linda Grizzle, celebrated their massive win on April 28, 2025, with plans to clear debts and treat Mom to a memorable Mother’s Day. But by the weekend, Farthing found himself in handcuffs, not on cloud nine.
While staying at the TradeWinds Resort in St. Pete Beach, Farthing allegedly punched another guest during a disturbance. Things escalated when a Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputy tried to intervene—Farthing reportedly kicked the deputy in the face and tried to flee, but didn’t make it far.
He now faces felony battery on a law enforcement officer, misdemeanor battery, resisting arrest, and a parole violation tied to previous Kentucky convictions.
Farthing isn’t the only one whose vacation turned south—his girlfriend, 42-year-old Jacqueline Fightmaster, was also arrested for disorderly intoxication after screaming incoherently at fellow resort-goers.
Farthing is currently being held without bond due to the parole issue, while Fightmaster has since been released.
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