Central Arkansas man dies after being struck by lightning

A central Arkansas man died Saturday, a day after he was struck by lightning.

Family members confirmed that 27-year-old Tyler Grisham died about 5 a.m. Saturday. Grisham had been hospitalized after being struck by lightning in Maumelle about 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Grisham was working in a yard when he was struck as a series of strong thunderstorms swept across central and southwestern Arkansas on Friday.

Storms packing 60 mph winds and quarter-sized hail blew trees onto homes, roadways and power lines Friday afternoon. The National Weather Service says as much as 3 inches of rain was recorded in some areas.

More than 5,600 Entergy Arkansas Inc. customers were without power at the height of the storm. Entergy said more than 2,000 remained without power Saturday morning.

The utility said on Twitter later Saturday that the majority of the failures should be fixed by noon today.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration said Grisham's death was the fifth lightning fatality in the U.S. this year and the first in Arkansas.

Metro on 06/10/2018

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