Results of an autopsy released Wednesday confirmed that the man who was struck by lightning while driving his motorcycle in Florida died from electrocution.
The Florida Highway Patrol tweeted out a photo out Sunday showing the burnt and shredded helmet of the motorcyclist later identified as 45-year-old Benjamin Lee. The autopsy results conducted on the man found burns on his body and singed hair from his head to his thighs, according to the Palm Beach Post. He was driving on Interstate 95 in Volusia County when he was killed.
Lee, who was a resident of Charlotte, N.C., also had internal head injuries that caused bleeding in his skull and burns across his face, chest, and legs. Just hours after his death, Florida law enforcement posted a photo of Lee’s helmet to social media.
This is what’s left of a 45 year old man’s helmet after he was struck by lightning, while riding his motorcycle southbound, on I-95 in Volusia County this afternoon. Unfortunately he did not survive the crash. pic.twitter.com/uFklUPY8r1
— FHP Orlando (@FHPOrlando) June 9, 2019
John Jensenius, who is with the National Lightning Safety Council, said that since 2006, 11 people have died from lightning strikes associated with motorcycles.
“It isn’t that unusual,” Jensenius said. “People think that if you are moving fast it can’t strike you, but in fact, when you are dealing with something moving 300,000 mph, someone driving 60 or 70 mph is virtually standing still.”
