The Vaughn UFO Incident: Fatal Texas Car Crash Linked to Mysterious Aerial Phenomenon
In the quiet town of P.E.S. Texas, December 1958, an ordinary rabbit hunting expedition turned into a life-altering encounter for Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Richardson. What began as strange blue-white lights floating above the countryside evolved into a series of increasingly unsettling experiences that would eventually captivate an entire community. The couple initially dismissed these aerial anomalies, despite witnessing them repeatedly on clear Sunday mornings between 12:30 and 2:30 AM.
The situation escalated dramatically on January 24-25, 1959, when the Richardsons decided to stop and observe the phenomenon more closely. A massive light approached them at tremendous speed, causing Mrs. Richardson to panic while driving. In her haste to escape, she lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a serious accident that left her injured and their car severely damaged. This incident brought official attention to their experiences, with a highway patrolman later confirming sightings of similar lights in the same area, transforming a private encounter into a public spectacle that drew hundreds of curious onlookers to the rural Texas roadside.
Key Takeaways
The Richardsons' routine rabbit hunting trips led to repeated encounters with mysterious lights that appeared to emerge from and descend into the ground north of P.E.S. Texas.
A terrifying close encounter in January 1959 caused the couple to crash their vehicle while attempting to flee from an approaching light, resulting in injuries and property damage.
The publicity surrounding their experience transformed a planned small gathering into a community-wide "Skywatch" event that attracted over 100 carloads of spectators, though the phenomenon did not appear during the cloudy conditions.
Mysterious Night Sky Encounter
Strange Lights Stalking the Hunters
On December 20, 1958, Franklin Richardson and his wife were returning from a rabbit hunting trip north of Pesos, Texas. As they drove along Spivey Tap Road after midnight, they noticed six blue-white lights hovering about 75 feet above the ground. The lights, approximately four times larger than car headlights, initially caught little attention from the couple.
As time passed, the lights began moving in unusual patterns—sometimes appearing in a vertical string, sometimes merging into one, and other times dancing erratically. Mr. Richardson observed how they would "jump and race and blink off and on" without any discernible pattern. Suddenly, two lights detached and rapidly approached their vehicle, stopping about 150 feet away before slowly sinking into the ground.
The Richardsons continued their journey after two more lights skimmed the treetops nearby, illuminating their car interior despite being at a considerable distance. Over subsequent weeks, they repeatedly witnessed similar phenomena in the same area, always between 12:30 and 2:30 AM on clear Sunday mornings.
Dangerous Pursuit
The night of January 24-25, 1959 transformed the Richardsons' curiosity into terror. Instead of driving past as usual, they decided to stop and observe the lights. Soon, they spotted an enormous light approximately 20 miles north that rapidly approached them after making a right-angle turn.
Mrs. Richardson, who was driving, quickly started the car when she realized the light was heading directly toward them. In panic, she attempted to monitor both the road and the pursuing light. Taking a curve too fast, she lost control, causing the vehicle to swerve right and crash into a tree before bouncing across the road into another tree.
With a damaged vehicle and Mrs. Richardson suffering cuts and bruises, Mr. Richardson focused on getting them to safety. At the hospital, while his wife received treatment, Mr. Richardson reported the incident to a highway patrolman who agreed to return to the scene with him. The officer witnessed two of the lights hovering over trees, confirming Mr. Richardson's account.
The January 29th edition of the Lampasas Weekly Record published their story, announcing the couple's plan to return to the site on January 31st with friends and family. What was intended as a small gathering drew over 100 carloads of spectators. The resulting commotion—music, honking, shouting, and people digging in the fields—may have deterred any appearance of the lights. Mrs. Richardson noted they had "never seen the lights when there were clouds," and that night happened to be overcast.
Following this public spectacle, the Richardsons stopped discussing their experiences with reporters. UFO investigator Rick Hilberg later classified their encounter as one involving "orbs" rather than conventional craft, noting it was among the strangest cases in his files.
Unexplained Aerial Encounter and Strategic Response
Strange Lights in the Sky
On December 20, 1958, Franklin and Mrs. Richardson were returning home after their regular Saturday night rabbit hunting excursion near Lampasas, Texas. Driving along Spivey Tap Road around midnight, they noticed six blue-white lights hovering approximately 75 feet in the air, about a quarter mile from the road. The lights appeared about four times larger than typical car headlights.
Initially, the couple paid little attention to the phenomenon. After observing for several minutes, they noticed the lights began moving in unusual patterns—sometimes arranging themselves in vertical strings, occasionally merging into a single light, and often dancing erratically without any discernible pattern. The lights would jump, race, and blink unpredictably.
Two lights suddenly detached from the formation and rapidly approached their vehicle, stopping about 150 feet away before slowly descending into the ground. Shortly afterward, two more lights emerged from a nearby pasture, skimming the treetops. Though distant, these lights illuminated the interior of the Richardsons' car as they continued driving.
The Chase and Collision
Over subsequent weeks, the Richardsons repeatedly witnessed similar lights in the same area, always between 12:30 and 2:30 AM on clear Sunday mornings. Having grown somewhat accustomed to these strange occurrences, they never reported their sightings—until the events of January 24-25, 1959 forced them to reconsider.
That night, instead of driving past as usual, the couple decided to stop and observe. Mrs. Richardson, who was driving, spotted an enormous light approximately 20 miles north and to the east. The object moved with incredible speed, hopping across the mountain landscape before making a perfect right-angle turn directly toward their vehicle.
What began as curiosity quickly transformed into terror. The Richardsons' reaction was immediate:
Mrs. Richardson started the car
The light approached at high speed
The couple fled, fearing for their safety
Mrs. Richardson attempted to drive while monitoring the approaching light
She took a curve too quickly and lost control
The vehicle swerved off the road, striking a tree before bouncing across to hit another tree on the opposite side. The car sustained significant damage, and Mrs. Richardson suffered cuts and bruises requiring medical attention.
While his wife received treatment at the hospital, Mr. Richardson related their experience to a highway patrolman. The officer agreed to accompany him back to the accident site, where they both observed two lights hovering over nearby trees—providing independent verification of the phenomenon.
Following local newspaper coverage, a public "skywatch" was organized for January 31st. What was intended as a small gathering transformed into a chaotic event with over 100 carloads of spectators. The lights did not appear that night, which Mrs. Richardson attributed to the overcast conditions, noting they had never observed the lights when clouds were present.
After the Encounter with Mysterious Lights
Hospital Treatment and Law Enforcement Confirmation
Following the January 24-25, 1959 incident, the Richardsons' vehicle was severely damaged after colliding with two trees while attempting to escape the pursuing light. Mrs. Richardson suffered cuts and bruises requiring medical attention at the nearest hospital. She subsequently spent a week recovering at home from her injuries. While his wife received treatment, Mr. Richardson discussed the strange occurrence with a highway patrolman on duty, requesting the officer accompany him back to the accident site to verify his claims.
The patrolman agreed to investigate, driving with Mr. Richardson along Spivey Tap Road to the crash location. The officer's observations proved crucial to the case's credibility - he personally witnessed two lights hovering above trees in the area. Though the distance prevented detailed observation, this independent verification by law enforcement substantiated the Richardsons' account of the mysterious phenomena they had repeatedly encountered.
News Coverage and Community Response
The LM Pasus Weekly Record published the Richardsons' story on January 29th, including information about a planned return visit to the site. What was intended as a small gathering with family and friends quickly transformed into a major community event. On January 31st, over 100 carloads of curious onlookers descended upon the area, creating an unexpected spectacle.
The crowd's behavior varied significantly:
Some serious UFO enthusiasts hoped to witness the phenomenon
Others treated it as a social gathering with loud music and honking
Teenagers drove noisily up and down Spivey Tap Road
Several people brought shovels to dig where lights had previously appeared
Property damage occurred with fences broken and livestock disturbed
Mrs. Richardson later noted they had "never seen the lights when there were clouds," and the overcast conditions that night may have prevented any sightings. The circus-like atmosphere ultimately led the Richardsons to stop speaking with reporters. According to UFO investigator Rick Hilberg, if the couple experienced further encounters, they chose not to share them publicly. In his 2011 analysis, Hilberg classified this as one of his strangest cases, suggesting the Richardsons had encountered "orbs" rather than conventional craft.
The Skywatch Observation
UFO Encounter Publicity
On January 29, 1959, the Lampasas Weekly Record published the story of Franklin and Mrs. Richardson's multiple UFO sightings near Lampasas, Texas. The couple had observed strange blue-white lights during their regular rabbit hunting trips about 10 miles north of town. Initially dismissive, they became increasingly intrigued as the lights displayed unusual movement patterns—sometimes appearing in strings, sometimes blending into one light, and often dancing erratically.
Their most frightening encounter occurred on January 24-25, 1959, when one of the lights approached their vehicle at high speed. Mrs. Richardson, who was driving, panicked and crashed their car while attempting to escape. Following this incident, Mr. Richardson reported the sighting to a highway patrolman, who later witnessed two hovering lights in the same area, confirming the couple's account.
The newspaper article mentioned that the Richardsons planned a "small excursion" to the location on January 31, 1959. Mr. Richardson intended to bring his deer rifle to investigate further. They invited anyone interested to join what would become known as the Skywatch.
Transformed Into Public Gathering
What was meant to be a small group outing quickly evolved into a community spectacle. Over 100 carloads of people descended on Spivey Tap Road on the designated night. The atmosphere resembled a festival rather than a serious UFO investigation:
Teenagers driving up and down the road
Loud music and honking horns
People shouting and revving engines
Curious attendees digging in areas where lights had previously appeared
Damaged fences and frightened livestock in nearby fields
The massive gathering failed to witness any unusual phenomena, possibly due to the overcast conditions. Mrs. Richardson later noted, "We have never seen the lights when there were clouds." The circus-like nature of the event ultimately led the Richardsons to stop speaking with reporters.
According to UFO investigator Rick Hilberg, the couple never publicly reported further encounters. In 2011, Hilberg classified the Richardson case as one involving "orbs" rather than conventional spacecraft. He considered it among the most unusual in his files, particularly because the objects terrified the couple enough to cause a car crash and were later corroborated by law enforcement.
Examining the Outcome and Resolution
The Investigation's Key Findings
The Richardson case represents a fascinating sequence of events that unfolded near PES, Texas in late 1958 and early 1959. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Richardson encountered mysterious blue-white lights during their routine rabbit hunting excursions. The couple first observed these phenomena on December 20, 1958, when they spotted six lights hovering approximately 75 feet in the air. These lights, described as being four times larger than car headlights, exhibited unusual movement patterns—sometimes appearing in a vertical string formation, sometimes merging into a single light, and occasionally moving in erratic, unpredictable patterns.
The couple's experiences escalated over subsequent weeks. On multiple occasions, they witnessed these lights emerging from and descending into the ground, always between 12:30 and 2:30 AM on Sunday mornings and only during clear weather conditions. The Richardsons initially kept these sightings private, choosing not to report them to authorities.
Critical Incident - January 24-25, 1959:
Couple deliberately stopped to observe the phenomena
A large light approached at high speed
Mrs. Richardson crashed their vehicle while attempting to flee
Both sustained injuries requiring medical attention
A highway patrolman later confirmed sighting two lights in the same area
The Public Response and Aftermath
The January 29th publication of the Richardson's story in the Lampasas Weekly Record transformed a local curiosity into a community spectacle. What was planned as a small gathering of family and friends on January 31st evolved into a large-scale event attracting over 100 carloads of spectators. The atmosphere took on a carnival-like quality with teenagers driving recklessly, people digging in fields, and property damage occurring.
Mrs. Richardson noted an important detail about that evening: "We have never seen the lights when there were clouds." This observation aligned with their previous experiences, as the lights had consistently appeared only on clear nights.
Following this public gathering, the Richardsons withdrew from media attention. According to UFO investigator Rick Hilberg's 2011 assessment, this case stands out for several reasons:
The encounter involved orb-like phenomena rather than conventional craft
The objects caused such terror that the couple crashed their vehicle
A law enforcement officer independently verified the sighting
Years later in July 2015, a similar incident occurred in Von, Montana, when Don Greo observed bright white lights exhibiting unusual movement patterns in the early morning hours of July 4th. The similarity to the Richardson case suggests these phenomena may not be isolated incidents.
Secondary Account: Don Greo's Montana Sighting
Unexplained Lights in the Night Sky
On July 4, 2015, Don Greo experienced something extraordinary while visiting his father in Von, Montana. Unable to sleep in the early morning hours, Greo stepped outside for a cigar around 2:00 AM. The week had been predominantly cloudy, but this particular night offered different conditions.
Shortly after stepping outside, Greo noticed a bright white light approaching from the northern sky. What immediately struck him as unusual was the complete absence of sound accompanying the light. He observed the object as it moved across the night sky until it positioned itself directly overhead.
Then, something unexpected happened—the object completely stopped its movement. This sudden halt in motion prompted Greo to reach for a pair of binoculars that were fortunately nearby.
Examining the Mysterious Objects
Through his binoculars, Greo could clearly identify not just one but two distinct objects. The primary object appeared as a bright white light, while a second, smaller and dimmer white light trailed behind it. The secondary object would have remained invisible to the naked eye without magnification.
As Greo continued his observation, the larger object suddenly resumed its movement across the sky. The smaller object exhibited even more peculiar behavior:
It paused momentarily
Executed a half-turn in midair
Changed direction to follow the same path as the larger object
This coordinated movement pattern suggested some form of relationship between the two lights. Their ability to hover, change direction abruptly, and move in formation differentiated them from conventional aircraft that would typically be visible in the night sky.
The sighting challenged Greo's understanding of reality, leaving him with questions about what he had witnessed in the Montana sky that early Independence Day morning.
