YEAR: 1987

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

DATE: 10

STATE: Mississippi

COUNTY: Clarke County

LOCATION DETAILS: On Hwy. 512, between the artesian well and the river bridge on the straight stretch. If you exit I59 and go through Pachuta, you will see the exit for Hwy. 512 shortly after that.

NEAREST TOWN: Quitman, MS

NEAREST ROAD: Hwy. 512

OBSERVED: In 1987, my college roommate and I were driving home from a football game where we were playing in the marching band. The time was about 11:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. We were driving on highway 512 through a community called Elwood in Clarke County, Mississippi. As we approached the straight stretch, just before you reach the town of Quitman, we saw a creature walk from the bushes on the right side of the highway onto the road. It didn't see us or didn't look at us until it reached about the center line, then it paused, looked at us, and then continued on across the road and into the woods on the other side.

The creature was very tall, with long arms. It had reddish brown fur (?) all over. When it looked at us, its eyes reflected the headlights of our car. It walked upright, with a pretty natural gait, almost fluid in its movement. We had been talking about the game on the way home, but when we saw whatever it was, we both stopped. I slowed down the car as I got to where it crossed and I know the hair stood up on my arms. It still does today when I tell the story again. We knew we had witnessed something unusual that night.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just my roommate and I who were coming home from playing in the band at a JCJC football game.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Around 11:00 p.m, no rain, no fog, no moon that I can remember, only light from the car headlights

ENVIRONMENT: Between the pine forest and the Chickasawhay River.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator John G. Callender:

I spoke with the witness on the phone. She said the eyes appeared to glow green in the headlights. She also mentioned that it paused and looked before continuing across the road. She had the impression that the animal knew her car was there, but did not appear to be frightenned as it crossed the highway. She did not smell anything unusual.

Note the passenger's report, Report #14144.

Also note there are several other reports from both Clarke and Lauderdale counties, which border one another+:

Report #1342

Report #4681

Report #12290

Report #13347

About BFRO Investigator John G. Callender:

John Callender hails from Mississippi where he received a BA degree in Accounting from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). He spent 26 years in the Seattle area flying for a major airline before retiring and relocating to Middle Tennessee in 2017. John quickly found that he missed flying and he’s now on his second career as a pilot for a major airline. He has done extensive field work in the Pacific Northwest, as well as Mississippi and he has attended the following expeditions: WA - Oly Pen (Aug. '04); New Mexico (Jicarilla Apache SEP '04); WA - Oly Pen (October '04); CA - Redwoods (May '05); WA -Oly Pen -3, (AUG '05 ); WA Cascades Expedition (AUG '06); Central Oregon Expedition (JUNE '07), BC, Vancouver Island Expedition (SEPT 2007), WA Cascades Expedition (June '09), 2009 Washington Olympic Peninsula Expedition.