January 25, 2004
Reversal of fortune

Lottery winner killed by truck


ELWOOD, Ind. -- A man who won $57,000 in an Indiana lottery game taped for television died hours later when he was hit by a pickup truck.

The Hoosier Millionaire featuring Carl D. Atwood, 73, was broadcast Saturday night after his family said they wanted the show to go on, Hoosier Lottery director Jack Ross said.

The broadcast concluded with a photo of Atwood accompanied by text reading: "In memory of Carl Atwood."

Atwood won the money Thursday during a two-hour taping in Indianapolis.

"I am very thankful," he proclaimed. "I must admit that I never expected to be leaving the show with this amount of money. Now I can purchase a very nice car."

Hours later, Atwood was hit by a truck as he walked to the grocery store where he bought the winning ticket near his home in Elwood, about 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis. He died at a hospital.

The driver has not been charged.

Atwood would have been among those invited back to compete for a $1 million grand prize in three weeks.

"We will work with the family to make arrangements on how to handle the championship show," Ross said. "We will certainly have a place on that show for someone who the family chooses to take his place."


Talk about bad timing.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on January 25, 2004 to National news | TrackBack
Comments

This brings new meaning to the phrase "Your number came up". ;-)

Posted by: William Hughes on January 26, 2004 8:33 AM