A fortunate woman resident from Chesapeake scoops a big jackpot

A Chesapeake woman will be kicking the new year off with half a million dollars after securing a winning scratch-off during her morning commute, the Virginia Lottery announced Friday.

Darlene Taiste made her regular coffee stop at the 7-Eleven on Nimmo Parkway in Virginia Beach where she purchased a Cash is King ticket, officials said.

When she finally scratched the ticket, she learned she won $500,000. Lottery officials said Taiste told them she's "'never won anything that big!'"

"This is the second top prize claimed in the [Cash is King] game, which means one more remains unclaimed," lottery officials said.