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Teen recovering from lightning strike
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By Jeff Haldiman
jhaldiman@newstribune.com
A 17-year-old Jefferson City boy remained in serious condition at University of Missouri-Columbia Hospital Wednesday morning, after being struck by lightning while fishing at Binder Lake a day earlier.
Officials identified the teen as David McAdams, who will be a Jefferson City High School junior.
District spokesman David Luther said McAdams and some other teens had finished an informal cross-country run through Binder Park and had stayed to do some fishing.
“David McAdams has a great reputation at the high school as a scholar and an athlete,” Luther said Wednesday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
“His coaches are concerned and have been to the hospital to see him.”
The lake is operated by the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Department.
Parks Director Bill Lockwood said McAdams was the only one hurt among four people who were fishing along the shore when the lightning struck, just after 9 a.m. Tuesday.
“We don't know if he got struck directly, but we were told he took a few steps and then collapsed,” Lockwood said. “This happened between the boat ramp area and a hill on the west side of the lake.
“The storms came quickly and they might not have been able to have seen them because of the tree line.”
Cole County Sheriff Greg White said eyewitnesses reported a citizen began performing CPR on the youth before crews from Regional West Fire Department and Capital Region Medical Center arrived on the scene.
McAdams first was taken to St. Mary's Health Center, where he was listed in critical condition, before being transferred to Columbia.
Lockwood said the department has day camps at the lake and they were moved under shelters as the storms hit.
“The evening and late afternoon are the worst times,” he said.
“We train our umpires and field supervisors to be vigilant when they see storms coming. We did shut down the pools Tuesday morning and canceled swim lessons.
“There's no scientifically accurate method to determine how close storms are and how fast they are moving when you're sitting outside,” Lockwood said. “We tell our folks that if they hear thunder and see lightning, to start thinking about moving out. We have people outside all the time and anyone can be at risk.”
Officials identified the teen as David McAdams, who will be a Jefferson City High School junior.
District spokesman David Luther said McAdams and some other teens had finished an informal cross-country run through Binder Park and had stayed to do some fishing.
“David McAdams has a great reputation at the high school as a scholar and an athlete,” Luther said Wednesday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
“His coaches are concerned and have been to the hospital to see him.”
The lake is operated by the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Department.
Parks Director Bill Lockwood said McAdams was the only one hurt among four people who were fishing along the shore when the lightning struck, just after 9 a.m. Tuesday.
“We don't know if he got struck directly, but we were told he took a few steps and then collapsed,” Lockwood said. “This happened between the boat ramp area and a hill on the west side of the lake.
“The storms came quickly and they might not have been able to have seen them because of the tree line.”
Cole County Sheriff Greg White said eyewitnesses reported a citizen began performing CPR on the youth before crews from Regional West Fire Department and Capital Region Medical Center arrived on the scene.
McAdams first was taken to St. Mary's Health Center, where he was listed in critical condition, before being transferred to Columbia.
Lockwood said the department has day camps at the lake and they were moved under shelters as the storms hit.
“The evening and late afternoon are the worst times,” he said.
“We train our umpires and field supervisors to be vigilant when they see storms coming. We did shut down the pools Tuesday morning and canceled swim lessons.
“There's no scientifically accurate method to determine how close storms are and how fast they are moving when you're sitting outside,” Lockwood said. “We tell our folks that if they hear thunder and see lightning, to start thinking about moving out. We have people outside all the time and anyone can be at risk.”
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