A man who was found dead May 14 at the edge of a Plant City lake may have been struck by lightning, according to a medical examiner’s report.
The official cause of Larry Webb’s death will not be declared until medical examiners conduct further studies, according to the report. But an initial case summary of the Lithia man’s autopsy, released Friday, notes a “blown out” shoe, among other signs that he might have been electrocuted.
A ranger in Edward Medard Park found Webb, 71, lying face down in the water just after 7 p.m. May 14, with his feet and legs on the shore, according to the report. A fishing pole, tackle box and bait were nearby.
Webb’s left shoe was “blown out,” and his clothing was ripped down the left side of his body, the report stated.
During their investigation, deputies noticed gator activity increasing as daylight faded. While waiting for the Medical Examiner’s Office to respond, one alligator, about seven feet long, began circling in front of Webb. The gator swam directly toward the body. Fearing that the body was possibly about to be tampered with, if not lost all together, one deputy discharged one round and struck the alligator in the skull, just behind the right eye. Upon being struck, the alligator immediately submerged under water and was not seen again. Florida Wildlife Conservation
was notified of the incident.
Webb’s was the second possible lightning-related death in the Tampa Bay area that day. Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies are investigating the death of Agustin Navarrete-Guerrero, 40, of Tampa, who was found about 4:30 p.m. lying face-down at a Seminole construction site.