Man dies, likely struck by lightning in Waukesha; walking through parking lot
Man dies after potential lightning strike in Waukesha
Waukesha police say a man has died after possibly being struck by lightning on Wednesday night. Preliminary information indicates the man was struck by lightning while walking through the parking lot during the storm.
WAUKESHA, Wis. - A man in his 40s has died after likely being struck by lightning in Waukesha on Wednesday night, April 15.
Lightning strike
What we know:
"That's pretty crazy, never would've guessed that."
When truck driver Greg Suttner pulled into the Kwik Trip off I-94 in Waukesha on Thursday, April 16, he couldn’t believe what had happened here the night before.
"Is it something that you ever even think of that you'd get struck by lightning just walking into a gas station?" asked FOX6's Bret Lemoine.
"No not at all, especially in a place like this. There's a lot of metal around there," answered Suttner.
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According to the Waukesha Police Department, emergency responders were called to the area of Golf Road and Grandview Boulevard around 7:45 p.m. for reports of a man down.
The caller reported a man on the ground and was unsure if he was breathing. At the time, the area was experiencing heavy rainfall accompanied by significant thunder and lightning.
The man has been identified as Peter Paul Garamone.
When crews arrived at the scene, they located the man who was unresponsive.
Shortly after, information was provided that the man may have been struck by lightning. He was transported to the hospital, where he later died.
Preliminary information indicates the man was struck by lightning while walking through the parking lot during the storm.
According to Waukesha police, witnesses and physical evidence observed at the scene were consistent with a lightning strike.
Rarity of lightning strikes
What they're saying:
Lightning Data Specialist Chris Vagasky studied Wednesday’s weather.
"The odds are very low that someone or something would be struck," he said. "In the hour surrounding that – between 7 and 8 p.m. last night – there were only seven cloud-to-ground lightning detections. So there wasn’t that much lightning taking place at that time," he said.
Lightning Data Specialist Chris Vagasky
Vagasky says across the country, 20 people die each year from lightning strikes. Vagasky says this marks Wisconsin’s second fatality in seven months.
"90% of people who are struck by lightning survive. They may have lifelong injuries or impacts – but lightning is not a 100% killer," he added.
What's next:
Police believe Garamone is not from Wisconsin, as he was found with a Pennsylvania driver's license.
Lightning safety
What you can do:
Vagasky says lightning is thousands of times more powerful than the electricity in your home.
A good rule of thumb to know it's safe to be outside. He says wait 30 minutes until after you hear the last clap of thunder.
The Source: The information in this report was provided by the Waukesha Police Department.