YEAR: 1982

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: August 9, 1982

STATE: California

COUNTY: Trinity County

NEAREST TOWN: Lewiston

NEAREST ROAD: Highway 299

OBSERVED: Back in the 80's, my husband and I were driving late at night in Trinity County, near Lewiston. Off to the right hand side of the road appeared a large animal. At first we thought it was a bear but when it walked in front of the car we realized that it was not a bear but a bigfoot.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: late at night

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Bart Cutino:

The witnesses’ daughter, who is a friend of mine, visited me at my home in Monterey, CA When she saw my large collection of Bigfoot artifacts and memorabilia she informed me that her parents had had a clear road-crossing sighting in Shasta County when she was a baby. I encouraged her to have them submit there experience through the BFRO website and let me interview them. She insisted that her father would not discuss the topic, so she’d relay the message to her mother. Fortunately, her mother agreed to be interviewed.

The mother's recollection is as follows: Both her and her husband had dropped their infant daughter with a babysitter and were taking a nightime drive together. Based on the witness's best recollection, this drive took place somewhere just south of Lewiston Lake, on Lewiston Road, off Highway 299.

After driving for only a few miles the witness's husband abruptly slammed on the brakes as they both watched in shock as a large, dark, hair covered biped unhurriedly crossed the road in front of their vehicle. It was moving northwest torward Lewiston Lake and had approached the road from the southeast. That would put its path in line with the Shasta Whiskeytown Dam.

She emphasized in her description that the subject had exaggerated arms. It was extremely dark in color (possibly black). It was between six and seven feet tall, and very large and thick.

Years later when seeing the Patterson footage on TV, the witness would "get the chills," recognizing the characteristic locomotion and unhurried gait of the figure. She could not make out or remember facial characteristics, because she only got a partial view of the subjects face it as walked across the road.

The other witness, her husband, is a retired police officer. He refuses to discuss or even acknowledge the incident since it happened roughly 24 years ago. He obviously witnessed the same large animal because, his wife says, he "slammed" the car brakes as the subject passed. He then drove forward, but then backed up to where it crossed. He frantically looked around in disbelief.

Even though there was no doubt as to what they both clearly saw that summer evening, he never wanted to discuss it. Over the years she would attempt to discuss the incident with certain friends or house guests, and her husband would abruptly deny the incident or change the subject. She feels his denial has more to do with concerns about his reputation in the law enforcement community, rather than fear of the memory of the incident.

She also shared a story from her childhood about a gentlemen whom is now deceased but who owned several acres of land on Lewiston Lake many years ago. This gentlemen, based on her childhood recollections, was kind and sincere, and he claimed to have seasonal visitations of sasquatches on his property. She now believes his stories may not have been as farfetched as she initially suspected.

About BFRO Investigator Bart Cutino:

Part owner of the "world famous" Sardine Factory (Restaurant) on historic Cannery Row, Monterey, CA & Wealth Management Consultant for the NCW Group in Monterey, CA, Bart Cutino has been an enthusiast of large "unrecognized" North American primates for over 28 years.
Is part of CA-BFRO contingent "crew" and has attended/assisted every CA state field effort since joining the organization in 2004.