Tragic! We've got a healthy respect for lightning after our not that old Ford Ranger was struck in January this year in our driveway at home, writing it off. Gee! it made a noise when it hit. It also rang our musical front doorbell & burnt our landline phone out. We play it safe & head for cover when it starts these days.

RIP ... When I hear these things .. I just hope it was QUICK ,!

Sorry about my double post. I did look to see whether someone had already covered the story, but this forum's search facility is lousy.

As for lightning striking a vehicle, I saw a TV program where a driver captured a lightning strike on his own car on camera. He was completely uninjured. IIRC, there was a burn mark on one of the wheels. Apparently today's tyres are impregnated with sufficient carbon to render them conductive.

He would be like a bird on a wire . Same potential .. I have walked through 330kv live mains on the ground .. I pays to take SHORT STEPS ! Bunny hopping is better.. To get way from shock..
The outside frame of car would have taken the electric field .. Although it one big discharge compared to AC ..