Police put lottery winner in jail
July 24th, 2009 - 4:57 am ICT by IANSNew York/Toronto, July 24 (DPA) For Canadian Barry Shell, the $4 million was worth a night in jail.
Shell showed up at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp delighted to claim his win earlier this week, only to be pulled aside by detective Kevin Finley and informed he was under arrest.
“I hate to wreck your happy dance,” Finley told Shell, according to the Toronto Star Thursday.
Shell had several out-standing warrants from 2003 for theft of cameras, global positioning systems, memory cards and watches. His name came up in a routine check of lottery winners, according to the report.
But after delivering the bad news, Finley let Shell go pick up his cheque before taking him into custody.
The 45-year-old lottery winner was not all that upset. “I’m still kind of in shock that I won this money, so it’s not a big deal that I have to spend the night in jail,” he said.
Instead of dancing, he had a “happy cigarette”, Finley said.
Shell was released Tuesday on bail of $1,500 and must return to court July 30.
He made his living as a carpenter, owned no car and lived in a basement apartment, the Star reported.
When he bought his lottery ticket Sunday, he had 50 cents in his pocket.
- Lottery jackpot lands Canadian in jail - Jul 23, 2009
- Will IIFA influence Ontario elections? - Jun 25, 2011
- I want to be like Hrithik Roshan: 'DID Li'l Masters 2' winner (With Images) - Aug 13, 2012
- Police chief sentenced in Sarah Jessica Parker baby case - Jan 01, 2010
- Shah Rukh turns flirtatious in Toronto, wins over women - Jun 25, 2011
- "America's Got Talent" Contestant Arrested For Drug Possession - Oct 26, 2010
- Britain's record jackpot winner to walk away with $180 mn - Oct 09, 2010
- 'DID 3' winner wants to be best dancer, train young children - Apr 22, 2012
- Bollywood is magic, says Ontario Premier - Jun 24, 2011
- Canadian couple who won $11.2m lottery donate the money to charity - Nov 05, 2010
- My bungas were just clean fun: Berlusconi - Apr 21, 2012
- America's Got Talent contestant Joe Finley arrested - Oct 27, 2010
- Man in jail after one night stand - Apr 05, 2012
- Pat Barry Wins Last Night's UFC Fight Night 23 "Fight For The Troops 2" Title - Jan 23, 2011
- Shah Rukh blames smoking habit on days with theatre - Jun 27, 2011
Tags: 50 cents, bad news, barry shell, basement apartment, carpenter, cigarette, detective, dpa, finley, global positioning systems, happy dance, lottery ticket, lottery winner, lottery winners, memory cards, ontario lottery and gaming, ontario lottery and gaming corp, routine check, toronto star, warrants