Sheriff Warns Residents to Seek Shelter Immediately as Investigation Points to Monday Evening Strike
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the tragic deaths of two men and two hunting dogs, all victims of an apparent lightning strike in the far southeast corner of the county.
The discovery was made on Wednesday afternoon after officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began searching for the two men, ages 38 and 31, both from the Miami area, who had gone hunting and failed to return. FWC officers located the pair’s car parked near Rucks Dairy Road and subsequently found their bodies on the levee next to Canal C-41A around 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 24.
The initial investigation suggests that the four deaths occurred from a lightning strike sometime on Monday evening. The District 10 Medical Examiner will conduct a formal examination to determine the official cause and time of death.
Sheriff Paul Blackman used the tragedy to issue a stark warning to county residents. “Our area gets more lightning than just about anywhere else in the country, especially in the summer. If you can hear thunder, that means lightning is close enough to strike, even if the sky doesn’t look too bad yet,” Blackman said. “It is essential to pay attention and plan ahead when storms approach.” RELATED: Hernando County Lightning Strike Survivor: Ridge Manor Man Resuscitated After Close Call
Authorities emphasized that the best place to be during a storm is indoors. For those caught outside when thunder is heard, the advice is to immediately seek refuge inside a solid building or a car with a hard roof. Experts caution against seeking shelter under trees, standing in open fields, or being near bodies of water, which are known lightning hazards.
Inside a building, safety precautions include staying away from windows, avoiding corded electronics, and refraining from showering until the storm has passed.
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