Geographical Index > United States > Arkansas > Sevier County > Report # 30063
(Class B)
Submitted by witness Robert Darnell on Wednesday, July 20, 2011.
Man recalls nighttime encounter near DeQueen
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YEAR: 1989
SEASON: Fall MONTH: October DATE: unknown [Editor's Note: Full Moon data places it sometime around the 14th. - MP] STATE: Arkansas COUNTY: Sevier County LOCATION DETAILS: It was a place that the road was blocked off by the police by a barrier because the high school kids were going out there to party. It was about halfway between DeQueen and DeQueen lake. NEAREST TOWN: DeQueen Arkansas NEAREST ROAD: North out of town going to DeQueen Lake County Road 39. OBSERVED: Let me start by saying that I hesitate to tell my story to you but I need to. When I moved to DeQueen, Arkansas in 1987 I was told about a story of a "wildman" that some of the locals called this thing described as a big, hairy, wild man. A girl that I knew swore that while parked out in the country it came up behind her car and bounced it up and down by putting hands on the trunk. She was terrified. About 2 miles from where she said that happened, I had an experience myself. It was very isolated and in an area of deep woods, prior to Weyerhouser coming in and clearcutting a lot of the forest. Some logging had been done, and some of the pine trees were growing back and were 8 to 10 feet tall. My friend and I were about 18 years old and went out to this place which was on an old logging road that went out into the woods about 1/2 mile and just had a turn around spot. It was a very rough road that you had to go slowly down, especially in my car. I would typically drive with my foot on the brake to get in there. Me and my friend went out there to talk because his girlfriend was pregnant and he didn't know what to do. There was a full moon that night. I got out and went to the back of the car to urinate. Thats when I heard the footsteps. Something was walking through the woods, obviously on two legs. The noise of the steps was weird because I could hear each step so loud. I remember thinking that is a two legged something going "step, step, step". It seemed to be quite a ways away from the sounds I heard, like maybe 60 yards. But, as it approached, the heavy footfalls became obvious that it was not a deer. It was walking on two legs. Then, I saw it moving thru the trees. It was like a huge man. It stopped about 20 yards from me and looked at me over the top of the pine trees. I could see the big black eyes shining in the moonlight and the head. It was a large head and I didn't stay for long. I had a primal "fight or flight" experience and a dose of adrenaline that I didn't know was possible. Scared me so bad I didn't even get my pants zipped up before I jumped in my car, started it, and floored it. I nearly drug my oil pan off going out on this road about 35 mph. My friend thought I had lost my mind. When I hit the paved road, my car spun halfway around. I regained control and floored it again. I couldn't even tell him until we were a few miles down the road. I went back the next day with my older brother with guns and a tape measure and showed him the spot. The trees where I saw this thing were 9 and 10 feet tall. His head was just over the top of the trees and the lower face was at the top. I never went back there at night and didn't talk about it for a long time. I know in my heart that it was a bigfoot. I know without a doubt that I heard him, saw him thru the pines walking for about 10 seconds, and then he stopped and stared at me. I could see the shape easily because it was a full moon. I'm not exactly sure on the date that I submitted. It was approximately October of 1989. He was like a big man walking behind those trees. I remember seeing the arms swinging and the two legs moving. There was no smell and the eyes didn't glow red--just black shiny eyeballs. Big eyes too. I never went back after my brother and I went back the next day. ALSO NOTICED: no OTHER WITNESSES: one and he was in the car OTHER STORIES: Yes--there were several local stories of the wildman out there. Many people said there was an old hippie that lived in the woods. No one ever called it bigfoot. Just a wild man. TIME AND CONDITIONS: 10:00 PM about and it was a full moon. September or October ENVIRONMENT: Pine trees and thick woods. Not far from DeQueen Lake.
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Matt Pruitt:
I have spoken with Robert many times about his experience over the last year. He is a medical professional and sincere family man with an impeccable reputation among his peers and colleagues.
Robert submitted his report several months before I would meet him in person on my Oklahoma Expedition. We spoke about his experience often during our initial phone calls and interviews, and again during the expedition. I will usually encourage witnesses to speak openly about their experiences during expeditions so that new researchers or enthusiasts can have the opportunity to interview and learn from witnesses in an environment which is conducive to discussing sasquatch encounters in a group setting.
Robert's narrative of the incident has been consistent and direct each time I've heard him discuss it. His encounter has encouraged him to learn more about sasquatches, and has driven him to pursue evidence and data related to them. After attending a public BFRO expedition, he became an investigator for the organization.
I am convinced that he encountered a sasquatch that night.
About BFRO Investigator Matt Pruitt:
Matt Pruitt grew up in the mountains of Northeast Georgia, and has been conducting active sasquatch research for several years in various parts of the country.
Matt has attended/organized the following expeditions:
North Carolina - 2007 South Carolina - 2007 North Carolina - 2008 Georgia - 2008 (Expedition Organizer) Washington (Cascades) - 2008 Washington (Olympic Peninsula) - 2008 Georgia - 2009 (Expedition Organizer) Washington (Cascades) - 2009 Washington (Olympic Peninsula) - 2009 Oregon - 2010 (Expedition Organizer) Washington (Olympic Peninsula) - 2010 Georgia - 2010 (Expedition Organizer) Oklahoma - 2011 (Expedition Organizer) North Georgia (1) - 2011 (Expedition Organizer) North Georgia (2) - 2011 (Expedition Organizer) Arkansas - 2012 (Expedition Organizer) North Georgia - 2013 (Expedition Organizer) North Carolina - 2013 (Expedition Organizer)
Matt is a trained visual tracker. During the summer of 2007, Matt co-instructed a tracking course for BFRO members in the Southeast. In 2009, he co-instructed an updated version of the same course for BFRO members in Utah. He currently lives in Northeast Georgia.
He can be contacted at Georgia@BFRO.net
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