YEAR: 1980

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: June

STATE: Tennessee

COUNTY: Marshall County

LOCATION DETAILS: Go north on highway 31A from Chapel Hill, TN. Turn West on Sweeney Lane and proceed about 1 mile. Make a right turn and then a left on Sweeney Lane. Proceed 1/4 mile to incident location.

NEAREST TOWN: Chapel Hill

NEAREST ROAD: Sweeney Lane, Highway 31A

OBSERVED: I was 12 years old, working for my father at a construction sight off of a dirt road, just north of Chapel Hill, TN. My dad and uncles were building a house for Rickey Sweeney, early in the summer.

My uncles, Ricky and Jimmy and I took the work truck to a small country store to get a midmorning snack for the crew. On our way back to the work sight, we turned onto the dirt road, lined with thick overhanging trees. We went about a quarter of a mile, when from our left (South) a very tall (7' +), somewhat slender animal, covered with dark fur, head to toe, ran into the middle of the road and stopped as my uncle slammed on the brakes.

The bipedal was about 50 feet away. All three of us started screaming, and my unlce Ricky tried to get the truck into reverse gear. The animal had what looked like pieces of clothing under one arm and dragging on the road. The animal broke itself out of it's fright and bounded off north, across the road, jumping a 4 and 1/2 foot fence and up the hill, quickly disappearing.

We returned to the work sight and I proceeded to tell everyone there about the remarkable incedent. This story has been coaberated by my father and both uncles, and has been an exciting experience to relate to others.

ALSO NOTICED: Unlike most incidents I've heard about, this animal was slender, although densely muscled.

OTHER WITNESSES: 3 witnesses, driving back from taking a morning break.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 11:00 am

ENVIRONMENT: Desiduous forest and some pine. Dirt road lined with trees and fencing. Ditches on both sides of the road. Hills to the North.

Follow-up investigation report:

I spoke with the witness at length on November 20th and found him to be very credible. He has a very strong recollection of the day in question, even after 28 years. This event made a very lasting impression.

After speaking with the witness the following details can be added:

- When the bigfoot dashed into the road the uncle who was driving slammed on the brakes so hard that the truck spun 360 degrees and then slid sideways, stopping approximately 10 feet from the startled creature.
- The witness had the distinct impression that this was an adolescent. He remarked several times that although very muscular the animal was thin without much bulk.
- The witness noted the following details:
- Extremely large eyes - he compared them to the way
we 'flare' our eyes when in shock.
- The nose was flatter than a human nose.
- The hair coat was dark brown to black and the hair was
long with most of it appearing to be 6" long or longer.
- The animal appeared to be as startled as the witness and
its mouth was open in an "O" shape.
- Whatever the animal was holding (it appeard to be
clothing) was hanging at hip level in a gangly left arm.
- The height was estimated as "the height of a door" which
would be approximately 7 ft.
- The weight was estimated at 200 - 220 lbs.
- The hands were very large and the large fingers were
articulated.