2010-10-14 - Ripon, CA - Triangle

Object observed over orchard North of Ripon, CA.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.839276,-121.1586&spn=0.041416,0.104284&z=14 UFO Observation: I was driving East on French Camp road on a clear night. It’s a couple of miles to S. Jack Tone road. In the distance, slightly to my left, where two bright lights, the lights where North/South, looked to be about over S. Jack Tone road, hovering.

Continuing East I observed the object to be stationary. As I approached S. Jack Tone road it began to move West, in a straight line, paralleling French Camp road. The object, at first, appeared to me dark metallic. I could see angles reflecting from its lights. As it approached suddenly I noted three lights. One light each facing West, North and South.

I assumed it to be a Helicopter and slowed down and opened the window to listen. There was no sound. No rotating beacons or strobe lights like all aircraft have.

The object was around 100 feet gliding over an orchard. As we passed I could see it was large and possibly triangular. On the East end was a dull red object. After we had passed the lights appeared to be on the bottom. It accelerated west as I had already slowed to observe it. From the westbound lane to the edge of the orchard must be less than 500 feet. I had my head turned back to watch it but had the Jack Tone road stop sign.

In retrospect, I feel it was a UFO. An airport KSCK is North/West from the sighting. I looked at Flight aware and it showed an Allegiant Air MD88 landing at 1936. Once turned South on Jack Tone road I looked at the radio clock it was 1938. I don’t see how an MD88 could be that low and off course on a clear night. Also no engine sound or any sound at all from my observation. If was larger than an Ultralight or Helicopter. The size seemed to vary as it passed which does make be believe it was triangular.

There was a vehicle behind me that I noticed was right on my bumper from my slowing. A couple of cars had passed North/South on S. Jack Tone road. Nobody seemed to take notice or slow to look.

Observer: I am a truck driver near 20 years and have seen many things at night. Most can be explained. Not all, always. I’m not prone to just assume something is a UFO. In fact if I had, in this case, I could have had video with my phone. A lot of where I drive is around orchards. I’ve seen Helicopters spraying at night. There are odd implements working at night and many lights, in the sky, that turn out to be airplanes. Shooting Stars and oddly illuminated clouds and cloud formations.

In fact, I have seen a Cigar shaped UFO back in the early ’90s with my brother as a witness. I didn’t know of any places to make a report back then.