Kentucky Powerball Winner James Farthing Faces Hit-and-Run Charges

James Farthing, the winner of the $167 million Powerball jackpot in Kentucky, is once again in trouble with the law. Farthing was suspected of a hit-and-run in November 2025, where he was driving a 2025 Chevrolet Corvette at speeds between 103-117 mph when he rear-ended another vehicle and fled the scene.

This incident is just the latest in a series of legal troubles for Farthing. He has had several run-ins with the law, including charges related to drug smuggling, organized crime, domestic assault, and tampering with physical evidence. Despite his past, Farthing had vowed to make up for his past at the time of receiving the money, posing with the oversized check at the Kentucky Lottery’s headquarters, alongside his mother and girlfriend.

Farthing's life since winning the lottery has been marked by boisterous behavior and legal issues. A day after claiming his prize, he was involved in an altercation at the Island Grand Hotel in St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he punched an intervening police officer. He eventually pled guilty to misdemeanor battery and resisting an officer, but no violence charges were leveled against him. Additionally, he was later charged with a second-degree burglary and marijuana possession, although these charges were eventually dropped.