The man who was struck by lightning on Clearwater Beach earlier this week has died.
Police have identified the man as Garry L. Perks, 32, of New Port Richey.
Perks was one of eight people who were injured by a lightning strike Sunday around 12:30 p.m. behind Frenchy’s Rockaway, when lifeguards on the beach left their towers because of bad weather.
Perks was struck and went into cardiac arrest, police said.
Perks and three others were transported to Morton Plant Hospital, police said. One went to Tampa General Hospital for treatment of burns, and three others refused to be transported, police said.
According to the National Weather Service, Perks is the 10th person to die in the U.S. this year from a lightning strike, and the second in Florida. Twenty died last year, including seven in Florida.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
