| Lightning kills Fort Worth man |
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| Wednesday, 16 July 2008 23:00 | |||
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A Fort Worth man died early Wednesday, several hours after he was
struck by lightning during an outing with his family at Joe Pool Lake,
authorities said.
Dexter Leonard, 22, was pronounced dead at 12:44 a.m. at Medical Center of Arlington, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office. Grand Prairie police were called to Lynn Creek Park on Lake Ridge Parkway along the northwest shore about 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, said Detective John Brimmer, a police spokesman. Other lakegoers were performing CPR on Leonard. Leonard and his family were having a picnic when a storm rolled in, police said. "They were in the picnic area by the grill, and about seven to eight feet from the water," Brimmer said. "When [a] storm came up, they started packing up their belongings." Leonard was listening to the radio over headphones when "they heard a large boom and a flash of light and he fell to the ground," Brimmer said. Leonard had a pulse at the hospital, but he later died, Brimmer said. Family members called the death a "freak accident" but declined to comment further. Leonard was known to visit friends at the Presbyterian Night Shelter, said Clarence Brigham, who works the shelter’s door. "He was a great guy, always coming by to see people," Brigham said. "No one here can believe it." Safety tips Avoid water, high ground, open spaces and metal objects. Canopies, small picnic or rain shelters, and trees are considered unsafe. If possible, take shelter in a substantial building or a car, truck or van with the windows shut. If lightning is striking nearby, you should crouch down, put your feet together and place your hands over your ears to minimize damage to your hearing from thunder. Avoid proximity (minimum of 15 feet) to other people. Source: National Lightning Safety Institute Lightning facts An average of 300 people are injured and 80 people are killed each year by lightning in the U.S. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from where it is raining. The average lightning strike is 6 miles long. A cloud-to-ground lightning channel can be 2 to 10 miles long. Sources: FEMA; Strike Alert
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