A ticket purchased in Chula Vista that fell one digit short of last week's record-setting $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot belonged to four South Bay mechanics, state lottery officials said Friday.
The ticket shared by Paul Pineda and three colleagues who weren't identified is worth $638,146. They matched 4-8-19-27-34, but missed the Powerball number of 10.
Pineda said he bought 10 quick-pick tickets at a 7-Eleven at 290 I St.
"I really never check my tickets the night of the drawing," Pineda said. "I sent out a text picture of the tickets to everyone in the pool. They were all calling me Thursday morning after the drawing and saying we had won."
He said he and his co-workers plan to take vacations, pay off bills and help family members. One said he would buy new tires for his pickup truck.
A dozen tickets across California matched five numbers, but Pineda's group was just the third to step forward.
A ticket purchased in Chino Hills in San Bernardino County was one of three across the U.S. to win the massive jackpot, but the holder has yet to make a claim, according to the lottery.
