HIGHLANDS COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) – Two men from Miami and their hunting dogs were killed by an apparent lightning strike while out in southeast Highlands County, authorities said.
Deputies were called Wednesday afternoon to the area of Rucks Dairy Road after Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers discovered the men’s car parked nearby during a search, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Their bodies were later found on a levee next to Canal C-41A.
The victims, ages 38 and 31, are believed to have died sometime Monday evening, investigators said. The District 10 Medical Examiner will determine the official cause and time of death.
Sheriff Paul Blackman warned residents to take storm threats seriously in a county known for frequent lightning.
“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.”
He urged people to seek shelter indoors or in a vehicle with a hard roof during storms, and avoid open fields, trees and bodies of water.
Inside, safety measures include staying away from windows, skipping corded electronics and postponing showers until the storm passes.
Highlands County is located about 160 miles from Miami.
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