The Val Johnson Incident
A sheriff's deputy in Minnesota said a bright light rushed at his patrol car, which ended up with a cracked windscreen and its clock running slow.
What was reported
In the early hours of 27 August 1979, Marshall County sheriff's deputy Val Johnson was driving a rural road near Stephen, Minnesota, when he saw a bright light among the trees. He drove towards it, and, he said, it suddenly rushed at his car. He blacked out and woke about 40 minutes later, his car skidded across the road.
The windscreen was cracked, a headlight broken and a roof antenna bent, and both the car's clock and his wristwatch were 14 minutes slow. His eyes were irritated, as if mildly burned.
Explanations offered
Investigators couldn't agree on a cause. Suggestions include ball lightning, a collision with a deer or other object, or a hoax, though colleagues described him as reliable. The damaged patrol car is displayed at a museum in Warren, Minnesota.
- When
- 27 August 1979
- Where
- Near Stephen, Marshall County, Minnesota, USA
- Witnesses
- A sheriff's deputy
- Status
- Unexplained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.