Colo. cyclist hit by lightning bolt

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 10 (UPI) -- A freak bolt of lightning struck a 56-year-old cyclist in Englewood, Colo., even though no electrical storms were reported in the area, authorities say.

Perry Schellpfeffer, an Englewood police spokesman, told The Denver Post the unidentified victim was hit by the lightning Wednesday afternoon. His injuries were not considered life-threatening.

"There were some clouds and it was thundering a little, but there wasn't any kind of lightning storm," Schellpfeffer said.

Among U.S. states, Colorado tied Florida for the most deaths from lightning strikes in 2008, when each had four. In 2006, each state had eight lightning-related deaths, the most in the nation, the National Weather Service said.

Lightning in Colorado caused 394 deaths between 1959 and 1994, the Post said.