The Wedowee, Alabama UFO Orb Chase

By
Marcus Lowth
Published Date
March 25, 2019
Last Updated
October 6, 2021
Estimated Reading Time
10 min read
Posted in
UFOs, Close Encounters

A bizarre incident in Alabama in 1995 saw a van of churchgoers not only witness a strange craft but actively being chased by it. The incident was investigated by MUFON several years later but ultimately remains unexplained.

Artist's impression of the Wedowee Orb case

Artist’s impression of the Wedowee Orb case

What is interesting, and as we will examine shortly, the region has several very similar accounts on record, each separated by several years. Strange, orb-like crafts that not only descend calmly to extremely low altitudes but then proceed to actively follow their chosen targets before disappearing as if suddenly bored with the pursuit.

Might these glowing crafts share a connection? Might it be that, like other very specific sightings, that these lone incidents, often left isolated through location or time, are, in fact, part of some kind of unknown agenda with an equally unknown end game?

A Strange Moving Light Over the Wedowee Poultry Plant

The MUFON investigation wouldn’t begin until May 1997. Consequently, the exact date of the incident is unknown, other than it was 1995, and during the autumn or winter months [1] due to both the colder temperature recalled by the witnesses, as well as the fact it was dark at 7 pm (when the incident occurred).

Like the date, the exact number of witnesses varies depending on the source. However, it would appear that between 10 to 12 members of church ladies’ group from LaGrange, Georgia were traveling to a church in Anniston, Alabama as part of an organized cross-state “bingo” trip. Their driver was also a member of their church in LaGrange, as well as a respected businessman in their community.

A depiction of a strange green light in the sky

A depiction of a strange green light in the sky

It was a journey they had made several times before. So much so, that each was waiting in dread-like anticipation for their small bus to go past the poultry plant in Wedowee that was on their route and for the ungodly stench from its buildings to infiltrate their vehicle and assault their nostrils without mercy or discrimination. As they went by on this evening, however, it wasn’t what they could smell that got their attention, but what they could see.

Over the plant, they could see a strange light. At first, they thought it was part of the main building itself and questioned why such a bright light was positioned there. However, as the light began to move one of the passengers would announce, “It’s not a light, but some flying thing”.

Almost immediately following, the light suddenly began to head in their direction. The driver increased the speed slightly. The strange glow continued to follow them, with each of those on board now very much aware of the strange events unfolding around them.

A Humanoid Shape Inside The Orb – “Like A Human Embryo”

The strange light would maintain its distance of approximately 50 feet while flying at a height of around 10-12 feet above awestruck driver and passengers. Many of the witnesses would describe the object as an orb or lightbulb. Two of them would even claim to have seen a “humanoid shape” moving inside the brightness of the intense glow. The more they stared at the strange object and the longer the incident continued the more unnerved the witnesses became.

Many of the passengers began to duck in their seats so their heads were not exposed in the glass windows. Each would take a quick peek outside on occasion before ducking back down again.

A depiction of a strange green light in the sky

A depiction of a strange green light in the sky

Perhaps of more concern was a “strange beam of light” that several of the passengers claimed emerged from the orb and “hurt their eyes”. Another witness would describe this beam as having a “sparkling effect” while another would state that the beam came through the window as if some had flicked a switch. Incidentally, several of the passengers would report extreme soreness and irritation of the eyes in the days that would follow.

The driver would take the vehicle into an underpass. When the light didn’t follow, he and the passengers thought perhaps they had lost it or it had given up the chase. However, upon emerging from the other side of the tunnel, the light was there, hovering above, as if anticipating and waiting for their arrival.

Credible Witnesses To A Case Unlikely To Be A Hoax!

The pursuit would continue for several more minutes until the van came to an intersection and stopped. The light, rather than stopping, the light continued over a field before it suddenly accelerated vertically. It moved so fast it left a visible streak in the witness’s eyesight for several seconds. Then, it was the size of a star which suddenly vanished.

The group calmly continued to their destination, although there was much debate as to just what they might have witnessed.

The driver of the vehicle, who had to keep his attention on the road all the while events were taking place, would claim that the object appeared to anticipate changes to the terrain, as if it was programmed or had some type of high-tech device that could instantly recognize and adjust to such changes (many of which we have today).

Was the strange orb actually some kind of high-tech experimental craft? Or might it have been under the control of an intelligence from another world or dimension?

A depiction of a glowing orb in a night sky

A depiction of a glowing orb in a night sky

Given their backgrounds and strict religious beliefs which in turn influenced their social conduct, the witnesses were largely regarded as extremely credible. Furthermore, the suggestion that the incident was some kind of hoax was dismissed almost immediately

So too, was that the incident was some kind of natural phenomenon. The incident took place over too long a distance and furthermore, appeared to show distinct intelligence as opposed to some kind of trick-of-the-light scenario.

Whatever it was that gave chase to the bus that evening remains a mystery. As does whether or not a humanoid entity was controlling the bizarre ball of light from inside, as two of the witnesses recalled.

There are, however, several other similar cases of bizarre lights giving chase to unsuspecting road users.

Similar Incidents Of The Early 2000s

According to reporter, Wayne Ruple, in the summer of 2003, while on routine patrol in the Trickum Valley area of Alabama, two Cleburne County deputies would suddenly find their entire vehicle bathed in a bright, urgent light. [2]

It was obvious to the two officers that whatever the source of the light was, it was hovering over the top of their vehicle. And seemingly keeping pace with it. The deputy behind the wheel would increase the speed of the car in an attempt to outrun it. However, no matter how fast he went, the light would maintain a similar pace.

Eventually, the officers would pull the car to the side of the road and prepared to investigate what the object above them might be. Almost as soon as they left their vehicle the object vanished. However, as they made attempts to restart their vehicle it was clear that all of the electrics were dead. The officers could start the engine and drive, but none of the electrics such as the headlights were active. They proceeded with caution.

As they did so, they would spot several campers near the lonely road. When they stopped to ask if they had seen anything strange, all replied of seeing a strange, bright light.

Incidentally, one of the deputies involved had witnessed an extremely similar sighting almost exactly a year previously while off duty with his son. Furthermore, in a particularly unnerving encounter, the previous year he had witnessed a similarly strange light in the woodlands of the area. When he went to investigate, he would, momentarily, find himself directly in front of the strange light. He would recall how it looked like “a man sitting inside a bubble-type” cockpit.

Before we move on check out the short video below.

The Hovering Capsule Incident Of Valley, Alabama

Several years previously, and less then a year after the Wedowee sighting on 16th September 1996, a daytime sighting in Valley, Alabama [3] resulted in several photographs being forwarded to a local radio station and newspaper to investigate. One of the pictures, which you can see below, features a “capsule-shaped” object seemingly traveling over a field in the area. And while there are no reports of glowing orbs, the general shape of the object – taking into account it is daylight as opposed to night – is largely very similar.

The hovering capsule of Alabama, 1996

The hovering capsule of Alabama, 1996

According to the report, the witness was making repairs to his fence. Then, his dog suddenly began to bark and become agitated. When he looked up he immediately saw the capsule hovering in the air. As well as occasionally moving slowly over the fields. He quickly managed to grab his camera. And snap the pictures before it moved out of view.

Researchers and investigators who have examined the pictures suggest that it is unlikely they are part of a hoax. Mainly due to the different positions of the craft and the corresponding shadows in each shot. One UFO researcher, John Thompson, would even state he was:

…most favorably impressed by the photos!

In fact, during a local television debate on TV-33 ten days later, on the 26th September in Lagrange in neighboring Georgia (and only 20 miles from Valley), Thompson would also reveal that two more witnesses had since come forward with extremely similar sightings in the Lagrange region.

What’s more, further witnesses would come forward. It would appear sightings of the exact same object went back at least a quarter of a century. In fact, one of the earliest sphere-type UFO sightings of the twentieth century in Alabama took place decades even before that.

Alabama’s 1930 “Glowing Ball” Sighting

According to an account in the Syracuse New Times, an incident from Waterloo in the Lauderdale County area of Alabama in the autumn of 1930 also features a “glowing ball”. [4] The account in question would come to the newspaper through “Jesse” – the grandson of the main witness, his grandmother.

At the time, as the industrial and technological revolutions met and the United States became electrified, the Lauderdale County area was growing at a rapid rate. Even tiny town (relatively speaking) such as Waterloo would see increased growth of their populace. Just to put this into perspective, today the population of Waterloo is a little over 200 people. In the 1930s it was just short of 500.

According to Jesse, on this particular late-fall evening in 1930, at around 6:30 pm, his grandmother and three friends were sitting in a car outside their high school. They were there to perform in a school play. And were waiting for a member of staff to open the doors.

A depiction of a glowing orb

A depiction of a glowing orb

Not long after arriving, however, Jesse’s grandmother would notice a strange light. Like a “ball of fire” heading towards the car. She alerted the other three and a quick hush came over the vehicle. They wondered if the light might be a flashlight or possible the headlight of an oncoming vehicle.

As it came closer, the brightness increased dramatically. In fact, it was so bright that the entire interior of the car lit up. And was “as bright as day”. Whenever Jesse’s grandmother would recall the encounter, she would describe the object as being “the size of a basketball” which floated by and around the car at a distance of 2 to 3 feet. It would then venture off into the nearby woodland and disappeared.

“Sub-Car Sized Sphere” Weaving Through The Woodlands Of Wetumpka, 2011

If we return to modern day Alabama, we see that these orb-like sightings are still occurring today. And what’s more and perhaps of more concern as we shall examine shortly, incidents of UFOs – orb-like or otherwise – “chasing” witnesses still occurs today in our contemporary era. Right across the United States and the rest of the world.

In Wetumpka, Alabama, shortly after midnight on the 1st March 2011 – according to MUFON case number 31948 – a resident would report seeing a “sub-car sized sphere” appear over a field where it hovered for several moments lighting up the ground and surrounding area in its brilliant but pale orange glow.

The witness was driving home after a late shift at work and could see the object from several miles away. He would report having seen them on several occasions before, some of which stretched back several years.

He would continue his journey, all the while keeping the mysterious orb in sight. It would eventually, and similar to several other such encounters, head off into the woodland. Seemingly weaving in and out of the trees. Occasionally appearing above them. Like an orb-like whale breaking free of the surface of the trees before diving back beneath them.

The object eventually vanished from sight leaving the witness to contemplate just what it was he had seen. He would later speak to his mother of the sighting. She too claimed to have seen strange lights from the house at the same time.

Persistent Accounts Of UFOs “Chasing” Witnesses Happening All Over America!

In the calendar year of 2017, MUFON alone would record several detailed incidents of UFOs following or pursuing witnesses.

For example, in Bastian, Virginia at around 8:30 pm on the 3rd March 2017, an anonymous witness was picking up her 16-year-old daughter from a school function. As they began on their journey home, the witness noticed a “super bright star” to the left of the vehicle.

The witness was driving along mountainous roads at the time. Their home is situated in the valleys of the area. However, the object didn’t disappear from sight as she guided the car down the roadway. Instead, the glowing object appeared alongside the car and began to descend at a similar pace. The strange light would follow the witness for several minutes before finally disappearing. She would later state:

It looked rectangle-shaped and you could see red lights all along its side!

Another strange incident took place several months later. At just after 5 am on the morning of 4th June in Latham, Tennessee. According to the witness, they and their family had seen “lights in the sky for months”. Even descending as “orange balls of light” and actively followed his vehicle.

Does this picture show a black triangle UFO?

Does this picture show a black triangle UFO?

On this particular morning, after seeing the balls of light in the trees, he would leave his vehicle to investigate. When he walked a little way into the woodland, though, the lights instantly began to head towards them.

He would state that when the “light” was around 20 feet away, he could see that it was a “7 feet tall, grey, smooth-skinned alien-looking being” heading in their direction. The lights, he would claim, were actually the creature’s eyes.

Why Are UFOs Following Witnesses?

Another incident was reported at a similar time – around 4:30 am – on the 31st July. This time in Exira, Iowa. The witness was on their way to work and was driving along F58. Then, they noticed two bright lights heading towards them.

They would pull the car over, thinking it might be a small airplane in trouble. However, they couldn’t make out any other details that would suggest it was a plane. They could, however, see a “big white orb” on the underside of the craft. The object would follow the witness for another mile or so before disappearing.

One of the most recent incidents took place on the 23rd December at around 9:40 pm in Kincardine in Scotland. The witness would recall seeing a “metallic triangle with red and green lights” on the underside. On the underside was a “continual bright white light”. Very similar, perhaps, to the “white orb” witnessed by the driver in Iowa six months previously. The object would follow the vehicle for several miles before the driver lost sight of it while making a turn.

Whether there is a connection between these sightings or not is open to debate. The accounts of a “humanoids” sitting within these strange, glowing orbs, might indeed prove them to be some kind of cockpit. One, if the 2017 descriptions are accurate, are on the underside of a dark, metallic craft. Indeed, it is perfectly reasonable, for example, to suspect that the sightings of these strange, piloted orbs, actually sightings of metallic crafts where only the lit-up orb-like cockpit is visible.

Why are these crafts actively pursuing witnesses – albeit in an inquisitive manner as opposed to attacking? Perhaps that is the area of concern.

References

References
1 MUFON/ISUR Investigation-Glowing Orb Chases Church Van, National UFO Reporting Center http://www.nuforc.org/webreports/035/S35948.html
2 UFO Updates http://ufoupdateslist.com/2007/jan/m12-001.shtml
3 Capsule-Shaped Object Photographed in Valley, Alabama, UFO Evidence http://www.ufoevidence.org/cases/case403.htm
4 UFO 1930 — An Alabama Family Account, Cheryl Costa, Syracuse New Times, August 14th, 2017 https://www.syracusenewtimes.com/ufo-1930-an-alabama-family-account/

Marcus Lowth

Marcus Lowth is a writer with a love for UFOs, aliens, and the Ancient Astronaut Theory, to the paranormal, general conspiracies, and unsolved mysteries. He has been writing and researching with over 20 years of experience.

Marcus has been Editor-in-Chief for several years due to his excellent knowledge in these fields. Marcus also regularly appears as an expert on radio talk shows including Troubled Minds and Unexplained Radio discussing these topics.

Read Marcus' full bio.

You can contact Marcus via email.

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