One Powerball Winner From Ocean County Comes Forward

One of the 16 county employees from Ocean County who are sharing their portion of Wednesday's $448 million annuity Powerball jackpot has come forward.

Sue Nichel of Eagleswood who put $6 in the Ocean County Vehicle Service Department's Powerball pool, told WCAU TV she is "numb" about winning.  "I can't even imagine what will happen in the next few months."

She and her co-workers did what they usually do when the Powerball jackpot grows: they get together and buy tickets at the Acme supermarket in Little Egg Harbor.

"They all got to work before me and they had checked the tickets that were in our bottom drawer, because you know, nobody ever thinks they're going to win," she told WPVI TV.  "I didn't believe them. And then my co-worker Elaine came out and shook me and said, 'We did win!'"

The only plan she's made is for her husband to retire  "because he's worked hard for a long time," she told WCAU TV. Nickel plans to stay on the job for another year-and-a-half.

Nichel was hard hit by Superstorm Sandy and says the money will help with her own recovery. "We had seven feet of water during Sandy but we're very lucky, very fortunate," she said. "We cleaned out a lot of stuff, and we're just starting to regain. This money will really help us."

The group plans to present their ticket early next week to the New Jersey Lottery and had asked their managers not to reveal their identities.  Each winning ticket was worth $86 million before taxes, or $58.3 million after taxes, if taken in a lump sum. They are worth $149.4 million over 30 years if the winners choose the annuity option.

Another winner from the group, a man, was photographed by the New York Post pumping gas. He wouldn't identify himself but told the newspaper, “It’s exciting, I’m in disbelief,” he said. “[Hearing about the win], you obviously think someone is playing a joke on you.”

The manager of the Little Egg Harbor Acme told WCAU TV the store will donate it's $10,000 they received for selling one of 3 winning tickets to charity in the form of gift cards.

There were 3 winning tickets sold for Wednesday's drawing. The buyer of a ticket purchased at the Stop and Shop in South Brunswick remains anonymous while a winner in Minnesota has come already claimed his prize.