YEAR: 1998

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

DATE: 07/15/1998

STATE: New Jersey

COUNTY: Burlington County

LOCATION DETAILS: Garden State Parkway South, Exit 50 New Gretna, New Jersey

NEAREST TOWN: New Gretna, N.J.

NEAREST ROAD: Rt 9

OBSERVED: It was at approximately 9:00 - 9:30 p.m. My mother and I were heading home from the mall in Tom's River. I exited the Garden State Parkway and came up to the stop sign, stopped and turned left. I had my high beams on, as this is a high deer area. It is predominately wooded for the few miles drive into New Gretna.

As I approached the overpass of the parkway, we both noticed this man-like creature standing alongside the guardrail. My mother said, "What the hell is that?" I had the same thought!

Here stood this man-like creature approximately 7' tall, covered with hair from head to foot. It's head was hairy also, except for the areas surrounding the eyes, cheeks and mouth. It appeared grayish in color from the headlights.

In a split second, it turned its head and looked right at us. At the same time, it lifted its left leg over the guardrail and disappeared down into the darkness of the woods.

My mother wanted me to turn around and go back, I was too shocked and scared to. The fact we were two women alone on this dark road, was not a good idea.

I did however, go back to that very same spot the next morning to see if there was anything there to prove further what we had seen. That part of the woods was so overgrown with briars and horrible thorn bushes, nothing human could have walked thru there without being torn and shredded to pieces.

To this day, each and every time I get off that exit of parkway, I slow down and look around in that area. What I saw made a believer out of both my mother and I.

ALSO NOTICED: After the incident, I went back to the area only to see lots of briars and thick thorn bushes.

OTHER WITNESSES: (2) witnesses. I was driving the car, my mother the passenger.

OTHER STORIES: I told the story to some locals there. I was told that some local people said there was "something" out there.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Approximately 9:00 - 9:30 p.m. It was dark and clear. A warm summer evening.

ENVIRONMENT: Pine forest area. When exiting this exit, you'll come to a stop sign. Directly in front of you is an old hunting lodge that I am not sure is functional. This is where I turned left. You have an approximate 2 mile drive before you'll come to a stop sign. You will be facing Viking Yacht. This is Route 9.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Paul J. Mateja:

I spoke with the witness on April 8, 2006.

She exited the Garden State Parkway at exit 52 (not exit 50 as originally stated in report). She made a left turn onto Greenbush Road and accelerated to no more than 25 mph. She and her mother spotted the animal standing next to a guardrail at a distance of 30 yards or more. They observed the animal for less than 4 seconds before it crossed over the guardrail and out of their view. The animal was headed in a southerly direction.

She and her mother were very shocked at the sight. She provided the following addiition details :

- The overall height of the animal was at least seven feet
- She guessed it weighed over 350 pounds
- It appeared to be completely covered with long, brown and gray hair
- It had long arms and legs
- The face was somewhat human in appearance - but "caveman like" and mostly covered with hair

She is very familiar with the general area and described it as thickly wooded forest with briars and sticker bushes.

I spoke with her mother at a later date. Her mother described the animal as very large. She stated that it all happened very quickly. It was standing next to the guardrail at the moment she first noticed it. It then stepped over the guardrail and moved out of sight.

The area has a history of reports continuing to the present:
BFRO NJ reports

About BFRO Investigator Paul J. Mateja:

Paul is a network administrator and systems analyst/programmer for the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, NY. In addition, Paul and his wife Teresa own and operate a small organic farm in western New York State. He has attended and organized expeditions including New Mexico (Jicarilla), New York (Adirondacks), Pennsylvania and West Virginia.