Powerball Winner Sued After Cyclist is Injured

A Powerball winner has been taken to court after allegedly opening the door of his truck in a bike lane, leaving a cyclist in need of surgery. According to a lawsuit filed with the Brooklyn Supreme Court, cyclist Kieran Del Pasqua did not have time to stop and was sent flying when he crashed into the door of the Ford F150 in Park Slope on 27th May. The pickup is said to belong to Anthony Perosi, the Staten Island plumber who landed a $136 million Powerball jackpot on 14th March.

The lawsuit says that Del Pasqua now has screws in his elbow after requiring an operation, and is facing a fight to regain use of both arms. He has not worked since the accident and is now seeking compensation. Del Pasqua’s attorney, David MacCartney, said in the New York Post: “Lottery winners may feel and act carefree, but like the rest of us, they still owe a duty of reasonable care for the safety of their fellow citizens. Good luck is no substitute for careful driving and responsible behaviour.”

Del Pasqua’s lawsuit was filed five days after Perosi’s lottery win was announced on 4th June but, according to MacCartney, he did not know about it at the time. The New York Post says that Del Pasqua’s wife contacted Perosi days after the crash and he acknowledged opening the door. However, he reportedly ‘scoffed’ at the injuries and commented that Del Pasqua had ‘barely left a scratch in my door’.

Perosi had not realised he had won a Powerball prize until he went to check the wall behind a pipe in his basement where he pinned lottery tickets that he had recently bought. His truck had broken down and he was hoping for a few small prizes to help with the repair cost when he stumbled upon his great success. It remains to be seen whether he will now have to give away some of his winnings.

Meanwhile, the Powerball top prize of $80 million was won on Saturday by a lucky player from South Florida. The winning Quick Pick ticket was sold at Best Value Food Store in Plantation. There will be $40 million on offer in the next draw on Wednesday for anyone who can match all five main numbers plus the Powerball, so players are sure to be snapping up tickets online or from authorised retailers in a bid to emulate the latest winner and Perosi.