Man Flees Traffic Stop, Leaves Behind Winning Lottery Ticket

A man who ran away from deputies after a traffic stop in Georgia left behind a winning lottery ticket in his vehicle, the sheriff's office said.

Shaun Jones fled the stop on foot after deputies with the Cherokee Sheriff's Office stopped him on I-75 in Acworth on Monday morning, Capt. Jay Baker told Newsweek.

As Jones ran, he dropped a backpack, Baker said. Inside was a laptop, a scratch off lottery ticket that had already been scratched and a small amount of methamphetamine.

The sheriff's office later took to Facebook, letting Jones know how he could get back his winning lottery ticket.

Alongside a picture of the winning ticket, the sheriff's office wrote: "To the suspect who ran on foot from our deputies on a traffic stop this morning on I-75, you left a winning $100.00 lottery ticket in your vehicle," the sheriff's office wrote.

They joked that he could come to collect his winning ticket, giving the address of the sheriff's office in Canton.

"You can claim your ticket at 498 Chattin Dr. in Canton. It will be here waiting for you. Congratulations by the way," the post added.

But Jones didn't get a chance to claim his ticket. He was taken into custody after deputies located him not far from where he had been stopped.

"Suspect is now in custody. Captured near the location of the traffic stop," the sheriff's office said in a comment on the Facebook post.

As for the lottery ticket, the sheriff's office said he can get it back—but the same can't be said for the drugs they found in his car.

"And yes he will get his lottery ticket back but we are keeping his methamphetamine," the sheriff's office added.

The Cherokee Sheriff's Office Facebook post quickly went viral, attracting more than 3,000 reactions and more than 1,500 shares.

Many took to the comments of the post, saying it had given them a much-needed laugh.

Others joked that the suspect could use his winnings for his bail or that sheriff's deputies should use the money to buy lunch.

"I love this. Thank you for making me smile. I sure needed it," Kimberly Sloan Ryan wrote.

Ava Hyde Wikley added: "I needed to chuckle this afternoon. You guys rock! Thanks for all your do."

"Laughing so hard. You can't make this stuff up! Good job," Nancy Tatz wrote.

Lorraine Williams Perris added: "Good work, though I would have loved to see the look on y'all's faces if he/she came to your office to claim the ticket."

Jones has been charged with obstruction of an officer and possession of methamphetamine, Baker said.

He added: "We obviously didn't expect the suspect to see the post and claim the ticket but it was more to put a smile on the face of our social media followers."

This article has been updated with additional information from the Cherokee Sheriff's Office.