Open Water, One Strike—Florida Tragedy

A Utah husband and father died after lightning struck while he rode a personal watercraft near Fort De Soto in Florida, authorities said.

Story Highlights

Deputies responded around 6:30 p.m. to a lightning strike involving a jet skier near Fort De Soto, Florida.
The victim was identified as Steve Matheson of Utah and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Reports counted the death as Florida’s fifth lightning fatality this year and the nation’s 13th.
Heavy lightning activity was detected in the area during the time window of the strike.

Deputies Report Lightning Strike Near Fort De Soto

Pinellas County deputies said they were called near Fort De Soto around 6:30 p.m. for a report that a jet skier had been struck by lightning. First responders found the rider in life-threatening condition and moved him to a local hospital. Reporters at WFLA and Tampa Bay Times cited the sheriff’s office account of the response and location near the park on Florida’s west coast. The outlets described the water activity as jet skiing or riding a personal watercraft.

Authorities and local outlets identified the victim as Steve Matheson, a husband and father from Utah. Reporters gave his name and Utah residence and said he was visiting Florida. WFLA and Tampa Bay Times reported he was later pronounced dead at the hospital after the strike. A separate fundraiser page shared his family details and noted he died on a Saturday while riding off the coast. Newsrooms did not publish the full incident report or medical records.

Severe Weather Conditions During the Incident Window

AccuWeather reported intense lightning in the Fort De Soto area during the half-hour surrounding the call. Analysts counted hundreds of flashes between 6:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., including many cloud-to-ground strikes, with a closest strike reported at 6:21 p.m. That timing overlaps the sheriff’s call window and supports a clear weather hazard at the scene. The weather snapshot aligns with deputies’ account of a lightning strike involving a jet skier.

Local coverage placed the event near or at Fort De Soto Park, with some reports saying “off the coast” or the “north end” of the park. These are compatible ways to describe the area around the barrier islands and channels near the park. Officials had not released a mapped location or coordinates. The accounts agreed on the core facts: a lightning strike hit during water recreation near the park and led to a fatal outcome at a hospital.

Lightning Risk in Florida and Safety Realities

Florida leads the country in lightning fatalities over long periods, driven by frequent storms and year-round outdoor recreation. Studies and federal data show Florida has recorded far more lightning deaths than other states over decades. Many cases involve men in open areas during warm-season activity. That pattern matches this tragedy near a popular coastal park during an active storm window on a weekend afternoon or evening.

🚨 A selfless Utah dad died doing what he always did: helping people.

Steve Matheson, 47, was jet skiing off Fort De Soto, Florida, on Saturday when he and a friend spotted a broken down boat.

They stopped to help the stranded boaters as a storm rolled in.

Lightning struck… pic.twitter.com/OArPiW2YcD

— Gina Beana Fofina (@Ginasassyass) September 1, 2026

The National Lightning Safety Council’s annual counts, cited by local outlets, placed this death as Florida’s fifth of the year and the nation’s 13th. While lightning deaths are rare compared to the number of storms, the risk jumps on open water. Boaters, anglers, and personal watercraft riders have little shelter once storms build. Safety groups urge people to check radar often in Florida’s warm months and head to shore at the first sign of darkening clouds or thunder.

What We Know and How to Respond

Deputies confirmed a jet skier was struck by lightning, was taken from the Fort De Soto area to a hospital, and later died. Reporters identified the victim as Steve Matheson of Utah and cited his family status from public memorial information. Some personal details, like exact age, varied between outlets, and officials did not release more records at the time of reports. The central facts stand: a fast-moving storm, a strike on open water, and a family now grieving a husband and father.