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 [email protected]