WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida deputy was hospitalized on Sunday after his patrol vehicle was struck by a bolt of lightning, authorities said.
According to a news release from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the deputy was driving on U.S. 331 south of DeFuniak Springs when the lightning bolt struck his vehicle.
The sheriff’s office said that the vehicle was inoperable after the strike “fried his electrical system.” The deputy, whose identity has not been released, was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital by Walton County Fire Rescue.
A photo posted by the sheriff’s office shows that the bolt hit the back of the SUV’s roof.
The deputy was conscious and is expected to recover, the sheriff’s office said.
“Storms can be unpredictable and come up quickly,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook. “Please use your best judgment and get to a safe area when clouds roll in.”
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