Ford Worker Loses Job, Wins Lottery

gldstwmn · #1 10-28-2006, 09:19 PM

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/10176275/detail.html

ATLANTA -- Retirement day will be an especially memorable one for Ford assembly plant worker Jerome McInnis. McInnis played the new Georgia Lottery instant game Bah Humbucks and became the first to win one of the game’s $225,000 top prizes.

Jerome is a 13-year employee of the Ford assembly plant in Hapeville that closed today.

"I elected to take the early retirement package," shares McInnis, a College Park resident. "This came at a great time. It's just exciting to win like this."

McInnis, 52, purchased his lucky ticket this morning when he stopped for gas at an Amoco station on Fayetteville Road in College Park.

"I paid for the gas, but I was so excited that I drove off and forgot to get my gas," McInnis says. According to McInnis, he plans to invest most of his winnings. "This will enable me to take care of everything."

The new $5 instant game went on sale Tuesday.

Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has returned over $8.6 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs including Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia's Pre-kindergarten Program. More than 900,000 students have received HOPE Scholarships, and more than 700,000 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary pre-kindergarten program.