Severe weather creates unforgettable moment for driver on Texas highway

The video doesn’t even do justice to how loud it was, according to the man behind the wheel.

PIERCE, Texas — A Texas driver experienced a close call with Mother Nature when lightning struck his truck while traveling on Highway 59 between Wharton and El Campo, with the dramatic moment caught on camera Friday afternoon.

Austin Garland was driving during severe storms when the lightning bolt hit his vehicle directly. Despite the frightening experience, Garland reported he is okay, though he admitted to being shaken by the incident.

“I’ve never seen lightning like that ever, and I have been through quite a few bad storms and hurricanes,” Garland said.

The strike was so intense that it left Garland’s ears ringing.

“The video doesn’t do it justice on how loud it was,” he explained.

While there appears to be no visible damage to the truck’s exterior, Garland said his vehicle is now showing multiple notifications about faulty sensors, suggesting the electrical systems may have been affected by the strike.

The driver reflected on the unusual nature of capturing such a rare event on video.

“Not sure that I’d call it feeling lucky. The odds of that happening and me getting it on video are pretty crazy. Just glad that nobody was hurt. And it didn’t cause any more damage than it did,” Garland said.

Wharton County was hit with an intense lightning show at the time the video was taken.