Hiker killed by lightning strike in front of brother

Craig Nelson was only steps from the summit when a hike he had completed many times before turned deadly. The 59-year-old was climbing Utah’s American Fork Twin Peaks with his brother on Saturday when they noticed storm clouds rolling into the area and stopped for lunch to monitor the weather. Seeing no lightning, they decided to continue. As the weather worsened near the top, the brothers agreed it was time to head back down. Nelson’s brother reached the east peak first while Nelson continued toward the summit, where authorities say he collapsed after being struck by lightning. His brother, who was about 20 feet away, rushed to call 911, but rescue crews had to wait for the storm to pass before a helicopter could safely reach the mountain. Nelson was pronounced dead at the scene. The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains ongoing while officials await autopsy results. Sheriff Rosie Rivera urged hikers to check the forecast before heading out and to be prepared to change plans if storms move into the area.

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