Missing Florida men, 2 dogs killed by apparent lightning strike: HCSO

HIGHLANDS COUNTY, Fla. - Lightning is being blamed for the deaths of two Miami men and two hunting dogs in Highlands County. 

The backstory:

According to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the area of Rucks Dairy Road around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers.

The FWC had been searching for two men who had gone hunting and not returned, and had found their car parked in the area.

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Their bodies were found on the levee next to a canal. The victims were identified as Alexander Karl Getz, 38, and Peter James Stansky, 31, both of Miami.

"They were walking back towards the car. So maybe then it was starting to get bad, and they were trying to seek shelter. They just didn't make it," said Brian Dressel, a spokesperson for the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. "It's always a tragedy when somebody loses their lives and especially like this, because it's so sudden and so unexpected to lose somebody like this."

Investigators say they likely died from a lightning strike sometime on Monday evening, but the medical examiner will determine their official cause of death. 

What they're saying:

"Our area gets more lightning than just about anywhere else in the country, especially in the summer. If you can hear thunder, that means lightning is close enough to strike, even if the sky doesn’t look too bad yet," Sheriff Paul Blackman said. "It is essential to pay attention and plan ahead when storms approach."

What you can do:

HCSO says the best place to be during a storm is always indoors. If you’re caught outside and hear thunder, get inside a solid building or a car with a hard roof right away. Don’t stand under trees, in open fields, or go near bodies of water, as those spots are lightning magnets. 

If you’re inside, the sheriff's office says it’s a good idea to stay away from windows, skip the corded electronics, and hold off on taking a shower until the storm passes.