YEAR: 2007

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: January

DATE: Sunday

STATE: South Carolina

COUNTY: Dorchester County

LOCATION DETAILS: Edited out per request of witness.

NEAREST TOWN: Ridgeville

NEAREST ROAD: Route 176

OBSERVED: I deliver newspapers early in the morning. I was almost finished with the route and I made a left turn on to [edited] and placed a paper in the tube. I proceeded to the next tube, and after placing the paper in it, my headlights caught something off to the far left. I observed a figure walking along the treeline along the edge of the cornfield away from my position. At first I thought it might be a man, but it was all black and it turned and I saw large red eyes staring back. I could not make out it's face, and it continued to walk away. I turned my vehicle in past the paper tube to try and get a better look. It was at this point it stopped and looked at my direction again. From my estimation it looked to be at least 75 to 100 yards away, and about 6 or 7 feet tall. The creature then continued walking away, and feeling spooked I drove out of there fast. I proceeded to finish my paper route, trying to comprehend what I had just seen. It was just starting to become ligher out, it was about 6:45am, and it was still quite dark out. This area has a lot of farmland and wooded areas, and is very rural. The whole incident occured in about 20 or 25 seconds. I felt as if I might have disturbed "it", for I felt an uneasy feeling when it looked my way. As this is the country, I see a lot of wildlife out at night when I deliver papers-deer, foxes, racoons, possum, and even bobcat. I have hiked and spent lots of time in the Appalachians and I know what a bear looks like and have seen bear up close during hikes on the Appalachian Trail. I know there are some bear in South Carolina, but they mostly reside in the upper part of the state. What I saw definately was not a bear.

ALSO NOTICED: Nothing. I am planning on returning to the area to find any evidence, will keep you posted.

OTHER WITNESSES: No

OTHER STORIES: Nothing recently. I read in your "Sightings by Region", that there have been previous sightings in Berkley County at Francis Marion Forest which is about 14 miles from this area.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 6:45AM, It was partly cloudy and it was dark, but it was getting lighter, about half hour till sunrise.

ENVIRONMENT: This area has a lot of farmland, particularly cornfields that are adjacent to wooded areas. The creature I observed was walking along the edge of the cornfield right along the wooded area.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator :Leevon Patrick:

I interviewed this witness by phone. I am also familiar with this area.

The man delivers papers early in the morning, every morning. This particular morning, at around 6:45am, he had stopped at one address, put a paper in a tube (the plastic receptacle for newspapers on a mailbox post) and drove up a bit to the next tube. That is when he noticed the figure along the treeline of a harvested corn field approximately 75 yards away.

He said its eyes were glowing red, reflecting the powerful highbeams on his van. He described the eyes as large. He said they were as large as "fifty cent pieces." Its head appeared pointed, and it was covered in dark hair all over with no variation in length.

He said it turned once to look at him, walked 50 to 60 yards in 20 to 25 seconds and then turned again, this time its gaze more menacing. The witness felt intimidated and hurredly finished his route.

He brought his wife back later in the day to check the area out. He has not had any other unusual occurrences on his route since.

I have interviewed several witnesses from this general area. It is very rural outside the nearest substantial town -- Summerville. There are many farms, but also many dense wooded areas, and year-round creeks, and plentiful wildlife.

About BFRO Investigator :Leevon Patrick:

Patty Lee (photo) lives in Lake County, Florida.

• B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Colorado
  
• Certified Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT)
• Traveled and camped extensively in Canada, Alaska, and Lower 48
• Former manager of a high end climbing and wilderness outfitting retailer in Virginia
• Organized the BFRO's November 2007 expedition in South Carolina

Patty attended the following BFRO expeditions:

• 2006 Central Florida (Lake County)
• 2006 Ohio (Columbiana County)
• 2006 Wisconsin (Price County)
• 2006 New York (Washington County)
• 2006 North Carolina (Madison County)
• 2006 West Virginia (Pocahontas County)
• 2007 Florida Expedition