Lottery winner disputes other’s lost ticket claim

? Two women — one with a ticket, one tearfully without — laid claim to a $162 million lottery jackpot Tuesday, triggering a legal dispute that could come down to “finder’s keepers” or fraud.

Elecia Battle went to police Monday with the teary story of a lottery ticket lost outside a convenience store.

Tuesday morning, Rebecca Jemison said Battle’s claim prompted her to quit stalling, submit her ticket and collect the prize from the Dec. 30 drawing.

“I was angry at first, but not worried at all,” said Jemison, 34. “I knew what I possessed.”

Police, who originally said Battle, 40, had told a credible story about losing the winning ticket, are now investigating whether she lied in a police report, a misdemeanor punishable by 30 days to six months in jail.

Jemison turned in the ticket for the 11-state Mega Millions jackpot at Ohio Lottery headquarters.

The lottery validated it Tuesday as the sole winning ticket for the drawing, and Ohio Lottery Director Dennis Kennedy said the lottery was confident Jemison bought the ticket, not found it.

As proof, Jemison provided another ticket purchased at the same time and place as the winning ticket and had an outdated lottery ticket that showed she had played the same numbers in the prior drawing, Kennedy said.

Rebecca Jemison talks with the media after claiming the 62 million Mega Millions jackpot. Jemison came forward Tuesday with the winning ticket after another woman claimed she had lost one.

Battle immediately filed suit Tuesday seeking to halt any payout to the winner.