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Man Killed by Lightning in Waukesha During Severe Storm

The confirmed strike highlights how uncommon lightning deaths are in Wisconsin.

Overview

  • First responders found an adult male unresponsive in a Kwik Trip parking lot at Grandview and Golf Road during Wednesday night’s storm, and he later died at a hospital.
  • The National Weather Service placed the fatal strike at about 7:43 p.m., roughly three miles south of Pewaukee in Waukesha County.
  • Police said witnesses and physical evidence indicate he was hit while walking across the lot, and they are working with the county medical examiner on formal identification.
  • Local outlets report the victim was a 41-year-old truck driver from Pennsylvania, and national trackers list this as the first U.S. lightning fatality of the year.
  • Officials and safety experts say Wisconsin saw only three lightning deaths from 2016 to 2025 and urge people to go indoors as soon as they can hear thunder.