A Pennsylvania trucker was struck and killed by lightning Wednesday night while walking across the Kwik Trip parking lot at Grandview and Golf Road in Waukesha during a severe thunderstorm. According to Waukesha police, the incident happened around 7:45 p.m. during the height of the storm. Witnesses reported a blinding flash of light and a crack of thunder before the man was found on the ground, not breathing. Dispatch audio captured the urgency.”2001 Golf. Man on the ground,” a dispatcher said.Another caller added, “Our caller believes he was possibly struck by lightning.” The victim, a 41-year-old truck driver from Pennsylvania, was the first lightning-related fatality in the United States this year. Waukesha police are not yet releasing his name.Chris Vagasky, a lightning safety expert at UW-Madison and a member of the National Lightning Safety Council, said this marks only the fourth fatal lightning strike in Wisconsin in the last decade.”Just remember, when thunder roars, go indoors. As long as you can hear that thunder, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning,” Vagasky said. He emphasized the importance of seeking shelter during storms, noting that Wisconsin experiences two million lightning events annually.”Even though the odds of it actually impacting anybody are low, when lightning impacts somebody, it’s a significant impact, lifelong injuries or fatalities,” Vagasky said. Vagasky added that most lightning incidents occur within a few feet of a safe place and urged people to wait out storms whenever possible. “I take my wife and kids to that Kwik Trip all the time to get donuts and smoothies, so I feel for the gentleman that lost his life last night. That was really tragic,” Jonathan Ettlie of Waukesha said. Kwik Trip released a statement following the incident.”This was a tragic event that took place, and we want to send our condolences to the family of the man who passed away,” the company said. The severe weather this week has brought flash floods, tornado damage, and hail to southeastern Wisconsin, but this lightning strike serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by storms.Top HeadlinesFatal lightning strike kills 1 in Waukesha County, NWS reportsHeavy flooding submerges Milwaukee roads and stalls vehiclesTornado destroys 100-year-old barn in East TroyWATCH Sturgeon swimming on flood waters

WAUKESHA, Wis. —

A Pennsylvania trucker was struck and killed by lightning Wednesday night while walking across the Kwik Trip parking lot at Grandview and Golf Road in Waukesha during a severe thunderstorm.

According to Waukesha police, the incident happened around 7:45 p.m. during the height of the storm. Witnesses reported a blinding flash of light and a crack of thunder before the man was found on the ground, not breathing.

Dispatch audio captured the urgency.

“2001 Golf. Man on the ground,” a dispatcher said.

Another caller added, “Our caller believes he was possibly struck by lightning.”

The victim, a 41-year-old truck driver from Pennsylvania, was the first lightning-related fatality in the United States this year. Waukesha police are not yet releasing his name.

Chris Vagasky, a lightning safety expert at UW-Madison and a member of the National Lightning Safety Council, said this marks only the fourth fatal lightning strike in Wisconsin in the last decade.

“Just remember, when thunder roars, go indoors. As long as you can hear that thunder, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning,” Vagasky said.

He emphasized the importance of seeking shelter during storms, noting that Wisconsin experiences two million lightning events annually.

“Even though the odds of it actually impacting anybody are low, when lightning impacts somebody, it’s a significant impact, lifelong injuries or fatalities,” Vagasky said.

Vagasky added that most lightning incidents occur within a few feet of a safe place and urged people to wait out storms whenever possible.

“I take my wife and kids to that Kwik Trip all the time to get donuts and smoothies, so I feel for the gentleman that lost his life last night. That was really tragic,” Jonathan Ettlie of Waukesha said.

Kwik Trip released a statement following the incident.

“This was a tragic event that took place, and we want to send our condolences to the family of the man who passed away,” the company said.

The severe weather this week has brought flash floods, tornado damage, and hail to southeastern Wisconsin, but this lightning strike serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by storms.

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WATCH Sturgeon swimming on flood waters