CLEARWATER, Fla. — A New Port Richey man died on Wednesday after he was directly struck by lightning at Clearwater Beach on Sunday afternoon.
Clearwater Police say 32-year-old Garry Perks died days after the strike, which caused him to go into cardiac arrest.
ORIGINAL STORY: Lightning strikes Clearwater Beach, injuring at least 8
Perks and seven others were injured after the lightning struck behind Frenchy's Rockaway Grill around 12:42 p.m. on Sunday.
Lifeguards left their towers that day just minutes before the strike due to bad weather.
RELATED: Florida is the lightning capital of the US. This is why
Bystanders performed CPR on Perks after he was struck. He was then rushed to Morton Plant Hospital.
Three of the other people injured refused transport for treatment and the remaining four were treated for various injuries. They are reported to be in good condition.
No other information was immediately available.
