House Fire Victim Identified

BROOKSVILLE Authorities on Tuesday named a 26-year-old man as the victim of a house fire June 30 in east Hernando County.
Joseph "Joey" Berner was inside a shed on the property at 21423 Powell Road, just west of Culbreath Road, when it caught fire around 6 p.m., according to the sheriff's office.
The Medical Examiner's office identified the victim through dental records last Thursday, but the name was not released until Tuesday.
Messages left with the State Fire Marshal's office were not returned.
Berner's grandfather, John Gesiki, said by phone from Virginia on Tuesday that it was possible a lightning strike was to blame for the fire. He didn't want to comment further, except to say his grandson was a "wonderful person."
Attempts to reach Berner's parents were unsuccessful.