Lightning hits Florida deputy’s car as he heads to assist possible lightning strike victim
The Walton County Sheriff's Office says a lightning strike fried the electrical system of a deputy's patrol car. Image is courtesy of the Walton County Sheriff's Office. LIGHTNING DEPUTY The Walton County Sheriff's Office says a lightning strike frie
PONCE DE LEON, Fla. - A Florida deputy is expected to be OK after his patrol car was struck by lightning in the panhandle.
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was heading to Morrison Springs in Ponce De Leon around 11:45 a.m. on Sunday after learning that a woman may have been struck by lightning while in the water when lightning struck his vehicle.
Investigators say the strike fried the vehicle’s electrical system, rendering it inoperable.
WCSO says the deputy was taken to an area hospital where he is awake and conscious.
The woman who may have been struck by lightning while in the water was also taken to an area hospital.
Deputies say bystanders performed CPR on her while waiting for emergency crews to arrive.
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There is no word on her condition.
The sheriff’s office used the incident as a reminder that Florida storms can be unpredictable, and people are encouraged to use their best judgment when clouds roll in.