David Johnson, a 56-year-old Jamaican native who came to the United States when he was 16 has won $298.3 million Powerball jackpot. The New York truck driver won the jackpot in the December 26, 2018 drawing, but only became aware of the winning through a fellow truck driver a few days back. The $298.3 million winning is the second-largest jackpot to be won in the history of New York Lottery.
Johnson’s winning numbers are 5-25-38-52-67 and Powerball 24.
Johnson is a truck driver with Iberia Foods and bought the ticket across the street at Arnold’s Service Station on Linden Boulevard. He was on his way to work when a friend who is also a driver called to inform him that the jackpot winning ticket was sold at Arnold’s. He never bothered with this but his friend encouraged him to go check his ticket numbers at the store. He went and when his ticket was scanned, the clerk said “Congratulations” to him.
“I can’t even eat,” Johnson said when he learned of his winning. “I start and can’t finish my food. I’m happy with joy inside.”
Yolanda Vega of the New York Lottery on January 25 presented Johnson’s winning to him at the Resorts World Casino in Queens.
The jackpot winner said he would like to receive the lump sum of his winning. He will get a total $180,227,550 in cash, but will only be able to ultimately receive $114,091,248 after due taxes are deducted. He paid only $5 for the ticket.
Johnson told Fox 5 New York he would like to buy a “nice house” and retire early to enjoy his wealth.
Johnson’s winning was the third Powerball jackpot win in New York in 2018. The Sea and Sand Trust won a $245.6 million jackpot in August, and Robert Bailey of Harlem won $343.9 million in October. And then Johnson brought up the rear with $298.3 million in December.
New York Lottery Director Gweneth Dean said winning the Powerball jackpot in the state impacts positively on residents of the Big Apple state. The lottery gave more than $36 million to support education in the state, and lottery retailers earned commissions that exceeded $2.1 million.
