Overview
- Casey Pettus, a contractor, was driving on I-15 when a lightning bolt hit his pickup and shut off its electrical systems, forcing him to pull over and exit safely on Wednesday.
- Pettus watched the truck go from smoking to fully engulfed in flames in under 20 minutes, and first responders said the blaze was unusually intense.
- Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Justin Faust said dispatch was originally told only of a vehicle fire and called lightning-versus-vehicle strikes rare based on his experience.
- Pettus escaped unharmed but lost the pickup and thousands of dollars in tools left in the cab, and he is now working with his insurance company on the total-loss claim.
- The episode highlights that, although vehicles often protect occupants from lightning, strikes can still disable electronics and start fast fires and leave drivers facing sudden financial and work disruptions.