Val Johnson patrol car
- Date
- 27 Aug 1979
- Place
- County road near Stephen, Marshall County, Minnesota, United States
- Record
- Curated case
- Assessment
- Contested
- Evidence strength
What was reported
Deputy Sheriff Val Johnson reported that at about 1:40 to 2:00 a.m. a beam of light rushed at his patrol car, he heard glass breaking and was knocked out for about 39 minutes; his wristwatch and the car clock were each 14 minutes slow. Responding deputies found the car slewed across the road with a cracked windshield, a broken headlight and roof light and a bent antenna, and a doctor compared his eye irritation to welder's burns. Ufologists including Allan Hendry and Jerome Clark consider the case significant; Philip Klass argued Johnson damaged the car himself, and Johnson declined a polygraph.
What officials concluded
No conclusion stated
No official explanation has been given.
Strongest ordinary reading
None established; a hoax by the deputy (Klass) or an unusual atmospheric discharge have been suggested
Evidence profile
- Yes: Visual
- No: Infrared
- No: Radar
- No: Video
- No: Photo
- No: Film
- No: Audio
- No: Night vision
- No: Other sensor
- No: Civilian
- No: Military aircrew
- No: Military ground
- No: Airline crew
- No: Sensor operator
- Yes: Law enforcement
- No: Scientist
- No: Astronaut
- No: Intelligence official
- No: Other
- Yes: Light only
- No: Orb or sphere
- No: Disc
- No: Triangle
- No: Cylinder
- No: Cube
- No: Other shape
- Yes: Physiological
- Yes: Physical trace
- Yes: Electromagnetic
- No: Sound
- No: Silent
Outside sources
- Wikipedia: Val Johnson incidenten.wikipedia.org
On the map
48.45° N, 96.88° W, plotted at the centre of the region named in the record
Show on the map