YEAR: 2008

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: May

DATE: 23

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Jersey County

LOCATION DETAILS: 3 1/2 miles west of Jerseyville on IL Rt 16 and 5 3/4 south on Country Rd 9

NEAREST TOWN: Otterville

NEAREST ROAD: Otterville Blacktop north of Shiloh Hollow Rd.

OBSERVED: It was right around the time of my birthday. I was on vacation visiting with my cousin at his girlfriend's house. We had ran into Jerseyville for cigarettes and were on our way back to her house off of Otterville Blacktop. I was driving about 55 mph around the s-curves just before Shiloh Hollow Road when I caught something running across the field heading for the road in the headlights.

At first I thought it was a man in a trench coat. It ran up the embankment and onto the road in front of the car. I barely missed it. It just made it in front of the car as I passed and half turned towards me at the center line of the road. Within four foot from my side of the car.

I realized that it wasn't a man in a trench coat. It was covered in hair and his face look flattened with a wide nose and large nostrils, and huge eyes. I continued to watch this thing run up a twenty foot embankment on the other side of the road without ever losing its pace. In shock I turned to look at my cousin, his eyes were as big as mine and we found ourselves asking, "What the hell was that"? He agreed It wasn't human.

OTHER WITNESSES: Yes my cousin riding in the passenger seat watching it come on to the road in front of us. He said at first he thought it was an animal but then realized that it was on two legs.

OTHER STORIES: Yes, at a spot about ten miles from this location near a bridge. A friend had something run directly in front of his four-wheeler, almost hitting it. He said it wasn't a man but it was on two legs, Heavy built and covered in hair.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 10 p.m. Animal was lit up with the headlights of the vehicle. It was within ten foot from the front of the car and four foot from the drivers side window.

ENVIRONMENT: Wooded around with a unplanted corn field next to road. Plenty of creeks in area.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I visited the site with the witnesses.

In summary:

- The animal was approximately six and one half feet tall.
- The animal was very muscular, stocky with broad shoulders.
- The hair color was dark brown, lighter coloring on the face.
- The animal had a flattened nose, large nostrils and huge black eyes.
- The witnesses were impressed both by the size of the animal and how quickly and effortlessly it ascended the steep embankment next to the road.

Photo looking north on County Road 9 showing the area of the road crossing and the steep embankment. The witnesses were driving south, but this angle for the photo shows much better the roadway and embankment.

Although this is the first published report from this county most adjoining counties do have published reports.

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

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