Chickamauga woman claims third jackpot

photo Laura Mullis, 71, of Chickamauga, Ga., recently won more than $142,000 in the Georgia Lottery, the third time she has won money in the drawings.

Lightning never strikes in the same place twice. Sometimes, it strikes three times.

Laura Mullis of Chickamauga, Ga., won the Georgia Lottery's "Fantasy 5" jackpot over the weekend. The 71-year-old's lucky numbers netted her a $142,908 prize Oct. 4. She cashed her winning $1 ticket Monday at the lottery's district office in Dalton.

"I was shocked," Mullis said. "I hung up the phone and said, 'This can't be true!'"

Mullis has now accumulated nearly $200,000 in lottery winnings since 2000, when she first scored $49,255 in cash. The grandmother and mother of two adult daughters used the money to retire from customer service, pay off her home mortgage and purchase a new truck before winning another $1,000 in 2006.

Now she can just play around with the $142,908 bounty.

"I may a do a bit of investing," Mullis said.

Mullis purchased her fateful 2-12-20-22-28 number card at the Kangaroo Express along Lee and Gordon Mill streets. The combination was one of two confirmed winners, the other victor purchasing their ticket in Palmetto.

Contact staff writer Jeff LaFave at jlafave@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6592.

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