Crime & Safety
Lightning Strikes, Brandon Woman Dies
A lightning strike is the suspected cause of a Brandon woman's death. She was found dead on Belleair Beach, according to a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office report.
A Brandon woman was apparently struck by lightning and killed as she walked along Belleair Beach during a thunderstorm Tuesday evening.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's office, 51-year-old Phyllis Kalinowski was visiting the beach with a friend when she was struck near the 2500 block of Gulf Boulevard at around 6:15 p.m.
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Authorities say Kalinowski and her friend arrived in the area earlier in the day to do some sightseeing; the pair became separated just before the storm rolled in.
As the friend returned to the area where she last saw Kalinowski, she noticed her "lying on the beach near the shoreline with injuries indicative of a lightning strike."
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When emergency personnel arrived on scene, they found Kalinowski had succumbed to her injuries, according to police.
Deputies are continuing their investigation by interviewing the friend as well as other bystanders who might have additional information.
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