Lotto winner is held in shooting

Jun 30, 2004, 8:09 am (4 comments)

Colorado Lottery

The youngest Lotto jackpot winner ever in Colorado is behind bars and faces a charge of attempted murder after Longmont police said he shot another man in the head over the weekend.

Kevin Sutton, 26, was arrested after a shooting at his home late Saturday, said Longmont police Cmdr. Craig Earhart. The man he allegedly shot, Cristobal Lopez, 40, was treated and released; the bullet pierced his scalp at the temple.

"It never penetrated the skull," Earhart said. "He was lucky."

Lopez on Tuesday said he was still in pain but had just learned Sutton was a lottery winner.

"The bullet went a quarter-inch past my eye, but here I am. The Lord was on my side," Lopez said. "Now I'm going to be talking to a lawyer. I'm going to get every penny I can out of him, dry him out."

Sutton was just 19 when he won a $3 million jackpot in 1997, becoming the youngest of the more than 350 Lotto jackpot winners since the game's inception in 1989. He chose the annuity option to get an annual payment for 25 years. The payments grow by 3.7 percent each year.

His first check was for $51,000 after taxes, and his last payment in the year 2021 will be $121,962.

Sutton was arrested the week after claiming his prize on an outstanding warrant. He had failed to appear after being ticketed for possession of alcohol by a minor. Longmont police checked on him after learning of his newfound wealth.

Sutton said he didn't mind being arrested. "I thought it was comical," he said at the time.

Since then, Sutton has had other scrapes with the law. He was arrested in 1998 on suspicion of driving under the influence and carrying a concealed weapon. In 2002, he was again arrested for failure to appear, that time for allegedly fighting in public.

Earhart said the shooting apparently had nothing to do with Sutton's winnings. Sutton told investigators he won the lottery but works as a carpenter at a local concrete construction company, Earhart said.

The shooting happened at Sutton's home, 414 Tungsten Place, about 11:45 p.m. Saturday during an argument, according to police.

Sutton pulled a .22-caliber handgun and shot Lopez, according to a police report. He was arrested about 10:30 a.m. Sunday at a friend's apartment.

Sutton now faces felony counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of menacing.

Lottery officials said Sutton's payments will continue even if he goes to prison.

Sutton's situation appears to be the most serious of any former jackpot winner, officials said.

"Nothing like this has been brought to our attention (before). We usually have pretty responsible winners in Colorado," Colorado Lottery spokesman Todd Greco said.

Sutton's winning numbers in 1997 were 14, 19, 30, 33, 39 and 41.

Denver Post

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Comments

nobie23's avatarnobie23

What a fool!!! It just goes to say money can make you do strange things.

 

nobie23

CASH Only

He was a fool when the chose the annuity.

konane's avatarkonane
Quote: O
sergiou2

Re-read the story...he was a fool before he had money.  He had a warrant before he won the lottery.

His stupidity doesn't have anything to do with winning the lottery.

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