NUFORC Sighting 12677

Occurred: 1987-07-01 00:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2000-04-21 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 30 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Thomaston, GA, USA

Shape: Circle
Characteristics: Lights on object

Low hovering 'ovoid' circle of lights

This investigation was a joint MUFON of Georgia and ISUR (International Society for UFO Research) project. The investigation and interview was conducted on 17May97 by this writer, Tom Sheets, then Chief MUFON Field Investigator for Georgia and ISUR FI. A supplementary visit to the witness and area was made on 7July97. The witness was found to be a professional educator, female, 56 YOA, residing in Upson County Georgia. Witness holds a degree in Education from Emory University in Atlanta, with various other educational certifications and advanced qualifications for teaching science subjects. Witness was found to be highly intelligent, observant and seemed to react to stressful situations in a calm objective manner. Her home appeared to be well managed and immaculately decorated. Witness indicated her personal interests ran to historical reading and various sewing projects. Evidence in the home indicated same. The witness stated that she observed the below described event during the summer of 1987, but had not discussed it outside of the family. Her elderly mother, now deceased, was also a witness to this event. The witness stated that on an unknown night during the summer of 1987 she went out to look around the neighborhood for her cat which had not returned home as it usually did. About 12:30AM, she drove back into her driveway and parked at the end, adjacent to her house. As she walked toward the rear of her vehicle, she noticed an ovoid circle of lights hovering over a utility/security light/transformer pole which is 75 feet SE of her driveway, in the side yard. The pole is 29 feet high. She added that the ovoid circle had about 50-100 or possibly more orangish-red lights around the edge. Witness estimated that the size was about that of a child's portable wading pool, about 6+ or so feet in diameter. She stood at the rear of her vehicle watching and noticed no sound and no other discernable effects. Within a few minutes, the circle rose up a little higher and slowly moved a few yards away, over and then down behind some adjacent trees. She could still see it thru the trees. Within a short time, the circle returned to it's position over the pole for about 20 minutes. She stated that she had the impression that the lights surrounded some solid structure that she was unable to see. Finally the circle of lights rose up into the sky quickly and flew off to the east at what the witness said was an incredibly fast burst of speed, vanishing in the distance. When asked, the witness indicated that if she had blinked her eyes while it flew off, she may have missed the departure, it was traveling that fast. She further described the lights on the circle as appearing to be about the size of a quarter, and with a continuous glow. No EM effects were noticed in the house or with the security light. At one point during this event, the witness ran inside the house briefly to alert her mother who became frightened and began locking windows and doors. Her mother strongly protested when the witness went back outside. Local authorities could provide no information concerning similar cases from that time period. The witness also polled her neighbors the next day, finding no other witnesses. She added that the weather was clear and warm on that particular night, with no appreciable wind that she recalled. This writer found the terrain in the community to be mostly flat and rural, with Georgia pines predominating. An examination of the woods adjacent the utility pole on 7July97 during a follow-up visit found the normally expected number of stumps and dead pines in the same vicinity with healthy trees. The witness related that within a few years of this event she developed serious cancer, with major surgeries allowing her to survive. Her eyes also became weaker, and she was fitted with reading glasses. She did not attribute any of that to the event described. During the whole of this investigation, the witness seemed completely truthful and forthright, and it was obvious that she was relating the truth. In fact she was one of the most credible witnesses this FI has encountered. All indications pointed to her being a highly respected and productive member of the Upson County community. Complete copies of this investigation were filed with MUFON HQ and ISUR. Tom Sheets, FSA Scot, State Director MUFONGA-ISUR Board

Posted 2000-04-26