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Val Johnson Incident

Deputy Val Johnson's patrol car was struck by a blinding light. He lost 40 minutes. His car's headlights were smashed, antenna bent, windshield cracked—and both his watch and car clock were 14 minutes slow.

August 27, 1979
Marshall County, Minnesota
1+ witnesses

The Val Johnson Incident is a well-documented UFO encounter with physical evidence.

The Event

On August 27, 1979:

According to documented accounts:

  • Deputy Val Johnson on patrol
  • Saw bright light approach
  • Light engulfed his car
  • Lost consciousness
  • Woke 40 minutes later

The Evidence

His patrol car showed:

  • Shattered headlight
  • Bent hood antenna
  • Cracked windshield
  • Damaged springs
  • Visible from collision

The Time Anomaly

Both clocks:

  • His wristwatch
  • The patrol car clock
  • Were 14 minutes slow
  • Time discrepancy unexplained
  • Independently stopped

Physical Effects

Johnson experienced:

  • Burns around eyes
  • Similar to “welder’s flash”
  • Required medical treatment
  • Headaches
  • Memory gap

The Investigation

Ford Motor Company:

  • Analyzed the windshield
  • Could not explain damage pattern
  • Not from a rock
  • Not from any known source
  • Consistent inward/outward force

The Car Today

The patrol car:

  • Preserved at Marshall County Museum
  • Damage still visible
  • Available for viewing
  • Famous evidence piece
  • Never repaired

Sources