HIGHLANDS COUNTY, Fla. — The names of two men have been released after they were apparently struck and killed by lightning in Central Florida earlier this week.
According to the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, Alexander Karl Getz, 38, and Peter James Stansky, 31, both of Miami, died sometime Monday evening, along with their two hunting dogs.
The sheriff's office said deputies were called by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers to the area of Rucks Dairy Road in the far southeast corner of the county at about 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The FWC had been searching for the two men who had gone hunting and not returned, and had discovered their car parked in the area.
The men's bodies were found on a levee next to Canal C-41A.
Investigators said the medical examiner will determine the official cause and time of death.
"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 in a Facebook post. "It is essential to pay attention and plan ahead when storms approach."
Residents are advised that 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," the sheriff's office said.
As of Friday, the National Weather Service said there have been 18 deaths in the U.S. and one in Puerto Rico from lightning this year. The NWS said this is the third death from lightning in Florida in 2025, with one other fatality occurring earlier this year in New Smyrna Beach on June 20.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the state experiences more lightning strikes per square mile than any other state, with an average of 1.2 million strikes annually.
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