YEAR: 1998-2000

SEASON: Unknown

DATE: August

STATE: Florida

COUNTY: Duval County

LOCATION DETAILS: Off I-95. The area sits between Southside Blvd. to the west. J.Turner Butler Blvd. to the north. Gate Parkway to the east and 9-A St. Johns Bluff Road to south.

NEAREST TOWN: jacksonville

NEAREST ROAD: burnt mill road which is off gate parkway

OBSERVED: about 8 or 9 years ago, when i was working as a patrol offficer for a company here in jacksonville florida, a friend of mine was in a building that was backed up next to a large area of woods. he said that he saw something standing next to a pine tree. i told him that i would be there in about 10 or 15 minutes. i told him that i was in the woods chasing some poachers out. he said to come to the back side of the building and i did. i told him on the radio that i was back there and he told me to put on my spotlight and when i did , i heard a noise that i will never forget. i saw something running past the trees, it was tall brown and hairy and was running fast. i then got the hell out of there and went to see my friend in that building. he asked me if i heard that noise and i said oh hell yes. we then went to where it was standing and about 9 feet up was a broken branch from that pine tree. the branch was at least 5 or 6 inches in diameter and it was clearly pulled out.

last night on the radio i heard that same scream. i tried to call but the line was always busy on coast to coast.

ALSO NOTICED: see above

OTHER WITNESSES: 2

TIME AND CONDITIONS: this was at night and it was about 2am or so

ENVIRONMENT: see above

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator David Wright:

I interviewed this witness at great length, for nearly an hour by telephone on 8/28/07. I immediately realized that this report was related to BFRO Report # 446 in Duval County, and that this was the OTHER witness in that report. I confronted him about the discrepancy between his date of the incident, and the other reported date, and he replied something to the effect of, "You know, it was like 7 or 8 years ago, and I wasn't sure of even the year, much less the month. What I DO remember, is what happened!" Additional details to this report are as follows:

This witness (1) was on patrol in a vehicle between two patrol quadrants. The other witness (2) was in or outside of a building when he called 1, exclaiming, "Come here! Something is standing in the trees!" This would be behind the building that 2 was in or behind. 1 was directed by 2 to come in the back way and to shine a light and spook the subject, as there had been deer poachers in the area recently.

As 1 approached the area, he shined a 2 million candle power light into the area, and saw a very large, upright animal facing away from him in the trees at a distance of about 150', with an arm up into a tree, grasping a large branch, estimated at 4"-5" in diameter. Upon being hit with the light, the arm came down with the branch in hand, and the creature fled away from 1 with the branch. At that time, 2 radioed 1 saying, “He’s got a branch! Be careful!" or something to that effect. At that time, both 1 and 2 were watching the creature. 1 advanced toward the creature in his vehicle. As it approached the back of the building, 1 exited his vehicle, and the creature came to a stop, dropped the branch, looked over it's left shoulder at 1, who immediately noticed red eye shine in the light, and the creature let out "a wicked scream, like I've never heard!” 2 exclaimed on the radio, "What the hell was that!?" and the creature ran away into the woods towards an area called Deerwood.

1 was outside his vehicle at this part of the sighting, and about 40-45 yards from the creature. He advanced on foot toward the branch and/or tree, noticing a foul stench that he likened to strong dog or human feces. The next day, the two witnesses met and investigated the area, recovering the broken branch and with the help of a ladder, determined that said branch was torn from the location that 1 identified.

The following is the physical description of the creature, as reported by 1;

- Estimated the creature at 7.5- 8'.
- He estimated the weight at around 500 lbs.
- He estimated the shoulder width at 4' or more.
- He described the hair as 4"-6" in length, course and black
- He noticed no visible ears, and the neck was obscured by
hair.
- He noticed no underlying visible skin beneath the hair.
- When asked, he exclaimed, "It was DEFINITELY not a
bear!"
- He described red eye shine in the spotlight.
- He described the arms to be well longer than human
proportions.
- He described the legs as long, hairy, and muscular, and
proportionately longer than the torso.

About BFRO Investigator David Wright:

• Certified Florida Master Naturalist (U. of Florida)
  
• Visual Tracker, Level 1
• Teaches Biology, A.P. Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Science at a rural high school SE of Jacksonville
• See local TV interview with D. Wright
• Participated in the 2007 Private Florida Expedition [Click the video link on that page.], the 2007 South Carolina Expedition, the 2008 South Florida Expedition and assisted with the organization of the 2008 North Florida Expedition. Assisted with the organization of the 2009 Central Florida Expedition.