The RFP Research Project (RFPRP) - Report of Encounter or Related Incident

  (Report recorded by Tal H. Branco during interview with witness.)

 

Date Report Submitted to the RFPRP: 01/06/05

Dates of Encounters: First incident in the Spring of 1991, Second incident in the Spring of 1992.

Time of Incidents: First incident about 6:00am, Second incident occurred late in the afternoon.

Weather Conditions: Clear

State: Alabama

County: Clarke

Nearest City or Town: Jackson

Map Location: (gps or township/section coordinates if known): Known but not recorded.

Nearest highway or road: Near the junction of Rabbit Creek Road and Walker Springs Road.

General Land Use Description: Pine plantations adjoining marshy bottoms along a creek.

General Terrain Description: Small, rolling hills of ancient beach sand overlaying seabed limestone.

Nearest Lakes or Streams: Rabbit Creek and associated marshes.

Activities of Witness Prior to Encounter/Incident: (First Incident) The witness had slightly overslept, and was driving a log truck from his home about four miles away to a logging site several miles away. (Second Incident) Driving toward his home from the Jackson area.)

Details of Encounter / Incident:

(First incident.) The witness was driving NW on the Walker Springs Road and was approaching the Rabbit Creek Road and the bridge over Rabbit Creek. He saw a large, hair-covered bipedal animal cross the road in front of his truck. He stated the animal was about seven feet tall with reddish-brown hair which was somewhat matted with mud clinging to the lower parts of its legs. The animal turned its upper body to look at his truck, and the witness noted that the hair on the animal’s chest was light grey or white. He stated the area of light colored hair had the basic shape of a “spread eagle”. He noticed that the animal was carrying a white bag of either paper or plastic that contained what the witness assumed to be garbage from an illegal dump that was at that time located on one side of the Rabbit Creek Road. The animal walked  across the road and disappeared into the pine plantation on the side of the hill above the creek bottom. The animal was first seen about 200 feet from the truck, but because the witness was driving faster than normal (because he was late), he was within a few yards of the animal when it went out of sight in the small pine trees. He stated the animal walked with a gliding gait with its body slightly bent forward and with its arms swinging. He stated the animal’s upper body was thick and wide, and it appeared that it had no neck. The witness noted with particular interest that the animal’s arms were much longer than a human’s, with long fingers on the hands reaching below the knees.

(Second Incident) The witness was driving on Rabbit Creek Road toward the Walker Springs Road on his way home late one afternoon. He believes the event occurred during the Spring of 1992. He stopped his vehicle, killed the motor and stepped out of the truck. He walked around the door that he had left open and stepped to the shoulder of the road to urinate. He stood facing the direction in which he had been driving. Just as he began to relieve himself he heard a movement behind him. He quickly turned around and saw what he immediately recognized as being the same animal that he had previously seen crossing the road in front of his truck. The animal had been crouched and hidden on the side of the road behind a bushy tree waiting for his vehicle to pass. The animal slowly rose from its crouched position behind the tree, as it watched the witness intently. The witness stated that part of the animal’s face was hairless and the exposed skin was dark gray. He stated its head was large and slightly cone shaped. Its eyes were large and brown with very small pupils. He could clearly see that its body was covered with reddish-brown hair, except for the area of the chest where the hair there was light gray and formed the general shape of the “spread eagle” that he had noticed during his first encounter. Its lower body was at the time concealed behind the tree. He stated again that the animal’s upper body was wide, thick and muscular. Although the witness saw no genitalia he assumed the animal was a male because its chest was flat and muscular.

  The witness quickly stepped toward the truck while closely watching the animal, but he found himself beside the fender in front of the open door where he stopped. At the same time the animal slowly and deliberately turned and started walking up the road bank and into the pine trees on the hillside. The animal stopped every few yards, and turned it upper body to look at the witness. At one point its upper torso was concealed by limbs from the trees, so the man crouched, with one hand and arm on the vehicle fender, so that he could better see the animal. At that time the animal stopped again, turning completely around and leaned forward to stare intently at the witness. According to the witness he had not until that moment been really frightened by the animal’s presence, but as the animal stared at him in a slightly crouched position he became afraid that the animal was going to charge toward him. He quickly arose, ran around the open door and got into the truck. He closed the door, started the engine and looked in the direction of the animal as he began to drive away. The animal was not in sight.

Description of Animal(s) if Seen: As described above.

Photos or Drawings Made?: No.

Description of Related Sounds: The animal made no vocalizations.

Description of Related Scents / Odors: There were no detectable odors.

Was Physical Evidence Seen and Obtained?  No.

Field Investigator’s Comments:

The witness was sincere in giving his account of these two incidents. He and other family members have stated they have seen and/or heard these animals in that part of Clarke County before and since the two incidents described above occurred. Some of those encounters are detailed in other reports.

  This investigator was particularly intrigued by a comment this witness made about the appearance of the animal when he saw it at close range during the second incident. The male witness was about 43 years old at the time of his second encounter with the animal. He stated that as he watched the animal he had no fear of the animal (except after it turned, leaned forward and stared at him from the hillside), but felt compassion for it. He stated that the animal looked so human-like that all he wanted to do was to try to communicate with it.

  This area of southwest Alabama has a long history of sightings of large, unclassified , bipedal primates which bear a close resemblance to human. Older residents referred to these animals as “hairy men” because of the animals’ human-like appearance.

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Follow-up Investigation Report(s) by The RFPRP

  The area in which this sighting occurred is a part of the RFPRP’s Clarke County Studies Area where very active research and investigations have been underway for about four years. Reports of those activities will be posted as time permits.