A Festus-area man was killed in a lightning strike Saturday afternoon (June 25).
Lt. Gary Higginbotham of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said that the man, 72, and his dog both were killed while they were standing in the yard of the man’s home in the 2000 block of Burley Road south of Festus.
“He apparently was struck by lightning just as a storm was coming in,” Higginbotham said.
He said he didn’t have the name of the man.
He said his office received the call about the man at 4:54 p.m.
“He was located by a family member, who heard a close strike,” he said. “We believe he was found dead, but he was taken to a local hospital.”