Lightning kills dad in front of kids

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) - A Fourth of July celebration turned deadly when lightning struck near a group of people, killing one member of the group. 

The 26-year-old victim was with his wife, four children and sister-in-law when lightning touched down near where they were huddled together in a Rio Rancho parking lot.

Witnesses told News 13 that people were panicking when the storm hit.

“It was almost like hysteria they were just, everybody was screaming and running and it looked almost like you could get trampled,” witness Eddie McLain said.

The strike happened around 7:30 p.m. Saturday night before the fireworks were set off at Loma Colorado Park, the site of a large fireworks display.

A major storm hit the area around that time.

All seven people in the group were transported to hospitals in Rio Rancho. The man was taken to the Presbyterian emergency room where he later died.

“We don't know if it was a direct strike, we believe it was pretty much as close as it could possibly be to these people who were huddled together during this big cloud burst,” Rio Rancho Police Department Spokesperson John Francis said.

The man’s wife is still recovering in the hospital. Their four kids are OK; they range in age from 18 months to 7-years-old.

The children were released along with their aunt who was with them when the lightning struck.

The man’s name is not being released because authorities are notifying his extended family.

New Mexico has the highest incidence of lightning fatalities in the nation based on population density.