I once again found myself going down a rabbit hole of UFO sightings and reports this week. Maybe it's cabin fever from being stuck inside the house with this big winter storm that just blew through Minnesota & Wisconsin. Anyway, I was circling back to a UFO sighting that took place in 1979 in Northern Minnesota. I had heard about this incident first a few years ago after a bizarre episode of FX's Fargo.

That's back when the UFO showed up unexplainably in Fargo and had many viewers scratching their heads. It was in fact a tribute to one of the world's most credible UFO sightings that took place right here in Minnesota. It's described as the Val Johnson UFO Incident.

Here's the story. Deputy Sheriff Val Johnson was on patrol in rural Marshall County, Minnesota. It happened near Warren, Minnesota.

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About 1:40 in the morning Deputy Val Johnson saw a light traveling along the road. He thought at first it might be a plane trying to make an emergency landing on the highway. He turned towards the direction when the light intercepted him. His vehicle was struck by the light. He coasted some 800 feet before coming to a stop at a 90-degree angle in the road. Damage was caused to the hood, the windshield was broken, and both of the antennas on his squad car were bent at a 90-degree angle. His wristwatch and his vehicle clock both lost 14 minutes of time.

Johnson was treated for injuries at a local hospital. His eyes were the main issue as they suffered burning like if you had looked into a welder's arc. Val Johnson could not explain what the "force" was that hit him. The story was picked up nationally, and he even appeared on Good Morning America. The attention he and his family received ended up being disruptive, and he eventually had to relocate.

UFOologists believe this is one of the most credible ufo sightings because of the actual evidence. It also happened to a Sheriff's Deputy, and the story adds up with the physical evidence. The coolest thing? The evidence is still around. The squad car is on display and has been seen by thousands and thousands of tourists.

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It's located in the Marshall County Historical Society in Warren, Minnesota.

There were no planes reported in the area, and the FAA followed up and said there were no flights around the area at the time. Some type of electrical force damaged the car, and there so far has been only one possible rare explanation. That would be a phenomenon called "Ball Lighting."

Scientists still don't completely understand ball lightning. It's extremely rare. I wonder if ball lightning would move the way Deputy Johnson described it as "intercepting him." I guess we'll never know.

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