2002-08-06 - Riverside, CA - Changing

Witness is retired from a career as an inspector with a defense contractor, and is in the habit of paying close attention to detail. I had just arrived to the front of my apartment from walking home with a friend from a late dinner. As we stood talking, I faced south and he was looking opposite to the north. A bright object caught my eye. It looked like a bright star at first but then began to move toward us, slowly at first, but then becoming brighter and faster. It then suddenly stopped! It then slowly made a 90 degree turn to it's left, revealing a profile of an elongated cone-like structure with the smaller end appearing as the rear of the vehicle. It appeared to have a shiney metallic looking surface. After a second it began to shrink-- to actually minaturize before returning to a bright spot of light. It then simply faded into nothing as it shot straight up. It was then gone! The whole affair took aprox. seven seconds. As this was happening I tried to tell my friend to look up, but soon after I realized I was studder and stammering from the excitement. As I was holding a brief case in one hand and a cane in the other, I could not even point.