YEAR: 1989?

SEASON: Summer

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Macoupin County

LOCATION DETAILS: Leaving Carlinville, IL headed west on IL Hwy 108. There is a little town named Hagaman. Go past the Hagaman turn off and you will come to a long bridge just below a big hill called Bell Hill. The creature stood on the north side of the highway right before you get to the bridge. This is in Macoupin County.

NEAREST TOWN: Hagaman, IL

NEAREST ROAD: IL Hwy 108

OBSERVED: It was around the year 1989. I was working at McDonald's in Carlinville, Il and I had closed that night. I was headed home at around 1:00 a.m. or 2:00 a.m. I was headed west on IL Hwy 108. I was going thru an area on the highway known to locals as Hagaman Bottoms. Just as I was about to approach the bridge at the Bottom of Bell Hill I saw a large creature standing next to the road. Just as I got near it or just about even with the creature it reached out at my car. It scared me and I accelerated my car to get away from it. It was a very bright moonlit night and I could tell that it was dark brown or black in color. It was also tall as it stood above the top of my car. The car I owned at the time was a Chevy Celebrity Eurosport. I remember it standing facing east and when I was passing it it turned south and reached out with its right hand. This was a very scarey experience for a young girl in a car going home all by herself.

OTHER WITNESSES: only me

OTHER STORIES: As a child I grew up in a small town named Fayette, IL. This town is just west of Hagaman bottoms. At night after the supper meal we would take food scraps out to a trash burning barrel behind the shed. I would get a feeling like there was always something around or close by and my hair would stand up on my arms and I would get very scared to go out there when it was dark. I never did see anything but just got an eery felling like something was watching me.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 1:00 a.m. or 2. Very well moonlit night during late summer early fall.

ENVIRONMENT: The area is open but located near a bridge and a creek. It is surrounded by farming land and wooded area.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

In summary:

• The animal was about 8 feet all.
• The animal was dark brown in color.
• The witness was unable to estimate a weight.
• The witness described the animal as being huge.
• The animal was standing next to the road.

About BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

Stan Courtney has a special interest in wildlife audio recording. He has attended numerous BFRO Expeditions. See Stan's blog StanCourtney.com for recordings he has collected over the years.

Stan Courtney can be reached at illinois@bfro.net