Man dies after being struck by lightning from severe thunderstorm after rodeo

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    HOLDEN, Missouri (KMBC) — A severe weather alert was issued for Johnson County, Missouri, more than a half hour before emergency workers arrived to treat a lightning strike victim in the parking lot of the annual rodeo in Holden.

Dr. Rob Espey, 53, died after being struck by lightning.

According to his biography page for the Crain Veterinary Center in Grain Valley, Espey followed in his father’s footsteps, both men graduating from the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine.

After graduation, Rob joined his father, Jerry, at Crain in 1998.

Rob’s biography also states that he loves to spend time with his wife and two kids and watch rodeos.

“My heart goes out to the family,” said Darrin Tobias, Johnson County Emergency Management Agency director.

Tobias said on Friday night that a severe storm had already produced up to 2,500 lightning strikes before it reached Johnson County.

His agency uses the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System or IPAWS with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service.

It works by notifying electronic devices like cell phones based on the location of weather alerts.

According to Tobias, a severe weather alert for Johnson County, Missouri, was issued at 10:35 p.m. Friday.

According to Holden police, emergency responders arrived at the Holden City Park parking lot to treat the lightning strike victim at 11:09 p.m.

“Everybody did a great job that night and getting the warnings out and even on further on from there,” Tobias said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chance of being struck by lightning is about one in a million.

The CDC also reports nearly 90 percent of victims survive.

However, fatalities do happen.

According to the CDC, from 2006 through 2021, there were 444 lightning strike fatalities, and Missouri was one of the leading states in the country for them.

During that same time frame, the CDC reports that July was the month with the most fatalities, and summer overall was the peak season for them.

The data also shows males are four times more likely to be struck by lightning than females.

The chair of the Holden Rodeo said out of respect to the family, he’s declining comment now.

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