Photos for Headline Surfer / TOP: First responders tend to a 29-year-old Colorado man struck by lightning near the 27th Avenue approach, in ankle-deep water on the beach just before 12:30 p.m. Friday, June 20, 2025, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Jake Rosencranz, shown in the inset above, died Saturday morning in the ICU at Halifax Health Hospital in Daytona Beach. He was reportedly here on his honeymoon.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- A 29-year-old Colorado man who was struck by lightning Friday near the 27th Avenue approach in ankle-deep water has died.
The victim, identified as Jake Rosencranz, died on Saturday morning in the ICU at Halifax Health Hospital in Daytona Beach. He was reportedly here on his honeymoon.
Volusia County Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs said first responders performed CPR on the victim shortly before 12:30 p.m., before he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Malphurs confirmed 29-year-old Jake Rosencranz of Colorado was in ankle-deep water when he was struck, and he died Saturday morning in the hospital. A storm was miles away, but a lightning strike in the distance is a rare tragedy, but all too real. The man was here on his honeymoon, she said.
"Lifeguards immediately initiated CPR and performed life-saving measures," Malphurs told Headline Surfer. He was transported from the scene unresponsive and was in critical condition." Sadly, he died Saturday morning in the ICU at Halifax Health Hospital.
Volusia County Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs said first responders performed CPR on the victim shortly before 12:30 p.m., before he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Malphurs confirmed 29-year-old Jake Rosencranz of Colorado was in ankle-deep water when he was struck, and he died Saturday morning in the hospital. A storm was miles away, but a lightning strike in the distance is a rare tragedy, but all too real. The man was here on his honeymoon, she said.
"Lifeguards immediately initiated CPR and performed life-saving measures," Malphurs told Headline Surfer. He was transported from the scene unresponsive and was in critical condition." Sadly, he died Saturday morning in the ICU at Halifax Health Hospital.
New Smyrna Beach city officials said two people on a golf course were indirectly struck by lightning on Friday afternoon. Neither was seriously injured.
The deadly lightning strike in New Smyrna Beach was caused by a storm several miles away. Specifically, it was reported that the storm was about four miles away. According to WIS News 10, this type of event, where lightning strikes far from the main storm, is sometimes referred to as a "blue sky lightning strike." The National Weather Service indicates that lightning can indeed travel up to 20 miles away from the edge of a storm.
According to the National Weather Service, this is the first lightning-strike death in Florida to date in 2025, and the fourth overall in the US. The other three lightning-related fatalities were in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas. The victims were all men. The first two were fatally struck by lightning while fishing from a boat, and the third was felled by lightning on a golf course.
Florida has long established itself as the deadliest state in the nation regarding lightning deaths. According to the National Weather Service, five of the 12 deadly lightning strikes in the country were in Florida in 2024. Saturday's death was the first from lightning in the Sunshine State this year.
Multimedia Video
Headline Surfer YouTube download / CBS Miami video / The scene of the deadly lightning strike Friday on the beach in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The victim died the following morning in the hospital. Two others were indirectly struck by lightning at a nearby golf course, but were not critically injured.
Did You Know?
While Florida is often referred to as the "lightning capital" of the US, Texas records the most lightning strikes overall. However, Florida leads in lightning strike density, meaning it has more strikes per square kilometer than any other state, according to a 2024 EarthSky article.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
-
Other Gulf Coast States: Louisiana and Mississippi also experience high lightning activity.
-
Other Factors: Lightning density is influenced by factors like thunderstorms, climate, and geography, according to Axios.
-
Texas: Has the highest number of total lightning strikes due to its large size and geographic location, according to Statista.
-
Florida: Leads in lightning density, meaning the number of strikes per square kilometer, making it the most lightning-prone state, according to a report from Vaisala.
About the Byline Writer: