Occurred 6/2001 in Smith County, TX
Submitted on October 3, 2004 
Three teens report sighting on Blackhawk Creek near Whitehouse. Read more...
Couple parked at Lake Palestine has late night encounter.
- Report#
- 01020032
- Occurred Spring 1973
- (Submitted August 1, 2002)
Witness Observation
My fiance and I were sitting in his Volkswagen discussing our wedding plans. We heard rustling around the car. My fiance felt uncomfortable and started the car. He put the car in reverse. When we both looked back, we could see the lights from the car reflect off something. We saw something very large standing on two feet. We could only see it from the waist down. We were parked at a cliff overlooking Lake Palestine.
Sounds
We heard the sounds of walking around our car. Rustling through the leaves and branches.
Additional Observations
It was large, dark and hairy. We could not see details.
Time and Conditions
Late at night. - Wooded.
Investigator's Comments
Monica Rawlins
This report was published as a result of an investigation into an incident that allegedly occurred in Smith County, Texas in the spring of 1973.
The witness saw the special report with Jonna Fitzgerald on NBC56 Tyler-Longview about the TBRC and reported bigfoot sightings in East Texas. She called us after viewing the broadcast and left a message on our toll-free voice-mail.
I interviewed the witness on 22 August 2002. She remembered the night of the incident as a clear night, with stars out, and the combination of moonlight and starlight enabled her to have decent visibility. She recalled that the two had the windows down in the car while they were talking. The witness’s fiancé began to hear some noises. The witness stated that her fiancé asked the witness if she had heard anything; she then remembered hearing apparent movement through leaves as though someone was walking around the car. After a short while, the fiancé began to feel uncomfortable and thought it would be safer if they left.
When he started the Volkswagen and put it in reverse, they both turned around to look out the back. Reflecting off the tail lights was a very large dark figure. The witness described the subject as hairy and tall; it was apparently so tall that they could only see the subject from the waist down. After seeing the subject, the fiancé quickly put the car in drive and left the area immediately.
This incident reportedly happened at a time when the local authorities were finishing the flooding of Lake Palestine and clearing the land around it. This spot was also very popular with the locals.
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- Class 1a
- A sasquatch/bigfoot specimen has been collected (alive or dead).
- Class 1b
- A report investigation results in a sasquatch observation or the documentation of clear tracks or other forms of physical evidence by an investigator.
- Class 1c
- An investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot by a very reliable observer is a distinct possibility, tangible corroborating evidence is documented, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
- Class 1d
- A visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility involving two or more reliable observers, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
- Class 2
- Investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility, the observer is exceptionally trustworthy, professionally trained, and experienced in the outdoors and/or is accustomed to looking for and recording details (e.g., biologist, anthropologist/archaeologist, ranger, trapper/tracker/seasoned hunter, bird watcher, game warden, naturalist, law enforcement), and other explanations can be reasonably excluded.
- Class 3a
- Investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility, the observer is credible, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
- Class 3b
- Unidentifiable vocalizations were reported and there is accompanying tangible evidence to possibly indicate the presence of a sasquatch/bigfoot, the observer is very reliable, and other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
- Class 3c
- No visual encounter occurred, but physical evidence was found to indicate the presence of a sasquatch/bigfoot (tracks, hair, scat, etc.), the observer is very reliable, and other sources can be reasonably ruled out.