YEAR: 2004

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: March

STATE: Ohio

COUNTY: Hardin County

LOCATION DETAILS: Hardin/ Allen County line, near Rt.117/235

NEAREST TOWN: Westminster, Alger, Harrod area

NEAREST ROAD: State Route 117 & 235

OBSERVED: Me and my wife picked my mother up from work in Lima, OH at 2 AM. We were traveling down 117S/E and turned left on Philips rd. We were on our way home and drove across the second bridge when a dark shape on the south side of the road caught my attention, and apparently my wife and mother also. I had not said anything until they said they saw something, my suspicions were now confirmed. I stopped the car and backed up. Whatever it was appeared to have been laying in the ditch that goes under the bridge and when I backed the car up it appeared to get up and lean over as if shielding itself and seemed as if it realized we could see it. The creature stood up and rushed at our car. It seemed that it covered about 30 feet effortlessly, it was very fast I think we were all shocked. I floored the car without thinking. I asked them if it was still behind us. They said it had come out into the road behind us. I got the feeling that it had wanted to scare us off. I questioned my wife and mother about what they had seen. We all saw the same thing. I just seen the immense size of it and it looked like it had very coarse looking hair. My mother and wife said it had a very large belly and was of a very thick build. My wife said it had a round head and no neck.

ALSO NOTICED: A terrible skunk odor that smelled like dead animals.

OTHER WITNESSES: Three witnesses total.

OTHER STORIES: Yes, I have heard of a number of incidents but people are afraid to talk about it.They don't want to look foolish.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 2 AM,. foggy, chilly out.

ENVIRONMENT: Open fields,patches of forest.

Follow-up investigation report:

I have spoken with the three witnesses by phone and have visited with them twice.

Some of the common themes in the impression this incident left upon them include that the creature was dark, very quick and large. They are adamant that what they saw was advancing toward them quickly on two legs. In reviewing the location of this encounter with the witnesses, the closest approach by the creature was less than 15 feet.

This area is part of the former Black Swamp area of Ohio. There are large drainage ditches that have been dug to drain the swamps. The major ditches, one of which runs alongside the site of the encounter, are generally 10 to 15 feet wide and up to 10 feet deep. The depth of the ditch and the observation that the creature quickly came up out of the ditch eliminates most common explanations for what the witnesses observed.

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