July 14, 2001

Comments Submitted January 2008

Unidentified objects appeared as lights in a huge V-type formation moving silently through the air over the New Jersey Turnpike and Arthur Kill Waterway (just south of Newark International Airport). Witnessed by hundreds of onlookers, including police officers and a church reverend, the sighting was reported the next day by every major news organization.  The event was captured on video and also corresponds to a missing-time experience reported by a man in Fort Lee, NJ. 

Oliver Kemenczky: 

"The Carteret Lights UFO Case is one of the most convincing and multifaceted UFO cases that NY-SPI has ever looked into. This event, originally investigated by Dennis Anderson in 2001, involved dozens (possibly hundreds) of eyewitnesses throughout central New Jersey and Staten Island, New York. Among the most credible witnesses interviewed were a police officer and a reverend, both from Carteret, NJ. The reverend, who also happens to be an experienced, small airplane pilot, estimated the size of the object to be at least 1000 ft in length. Although only five eyewitnesses were shown on television in NY-SPI's investigation of this case, many more came forward previously, including a police chief from northern New Jersey who observed strange objects in the air that night while piloting his small airplane near the Delaware Water Gap. Together with the many witness testimonies, there was also amazing video footage taken of the event, as well as radar returns of erratic, fast-moving objects in the air without transponders, obtained from a source inside the FAA. To top it off, this event occurred in highly sensitive air space near NYC, within just a few miles of three major airports, and above critical oil refineries, power-generating plants, major highways and the busiest commercial seaport in the country. It should be mentioned that the FAA evidence originally provided by NIDS (Nation Institute of Discovery Science) was uncovered after all three metro NY airports and McGuire Air Force Base in NJ each reported nothing unusual in the skies that evening. 

NY-SPI reinvestigated this case in 2007 when a new witness, John Predovan, came forward. The process of getting to know John, gaining his trust and testing the veracity of his claims was a long one. John’s close-range sighting of a huge, solid, V-type object in Fort Lee, NJ matched the testimony of witnesses in the Carteret/Staten Island areas. Although John’s experience occurred about 20 miles northeast of Carteret, there were multiple reports of sightings throughout NJ that evening, and the timeframe of his experiences matched the Carteret sightings precisely. 

Our investigation with John Predovan was extensive and the dramatic account of his missing-time experience seems to hold water. NY-SPI tested, examined and evaluated the many aspects of John's testimony, while continually holding back key evidence from him. Due to time constraints and the network's requests, only a small portion of the powerful, traumatic and revealing evidence we collected was actually shown in the UFO hunting television episode that first chronicled our investigations in January 2008. Among the most convincing footage omitted was John’s earnest, emotional response when NY-SPI divulged evidence of the case to him that he had never before seen, which included actual video footage of the UFO event in Carteret. Also undeniably compelling was John's complete hypnotic regression and counseling sessions with Jed Turnbull, which we had hoped would be aired. We still sincerely hope that some network will, at some point, make all of this startling footage public. 

I want to thank all the witnesses who participated in this investigation by providing their accounts, especially John Predovan. He has my greatest respect and appreciation for his amazing courage in coming forward to tell his story." - OK 

Ted Davis: 

“Every once in a while in UFO research, a case grabs hold of us and refuses to let go. Cases in major metropolitan areas, with multiple eyewitnesses and layers of evidence to sink your teeth into; the Carteret sighting is one of those cases. 

The first element that pulls you in is the descriptions of an enormous object with numerous lights floating silently through the night sky. This consistent description came from highly credible eyewitness who observed the event from various locations across two states. They did not jump to conclusions that New Jersey was being invaded by aliens, as was suggested in many of the media reports; they were simply puzzled by something very strange in the night sky. 

The video is important because it provides visual evidence working to strengthen the eyewitness testimony. Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain the original video or even a complete copy of the tape and were forced to work with limited footage obtained from various media clips. 

The FAA radar report from Newark International Airport on the night in question indicates an enormous number of airborne objects, without transponders, beginning at 10:31 PM and ending at 12:51 AM EST. During this time, objects appeared and disappeared, hovered, moved slowly and at times traveled in excess of 500 miles per hour. This seems to imply numerous unknowns were in the air that night over Newark airport or, even more alarming, the existence of some sort of technology capable of disrupting and confusing our airport radar systems. Either way, the FAA’s initial statement that nothing out of the ordinary occurred on July 14, 2001 is clearly erroneous. 

When John Predovan contacted NY-SPI an entirely new element of the case came to light. We now had a witness who reported not just lights, but details of a structured craft, in the sky over New Jersey in a timeframe that fits perfectly with respect to the rest of the Carteret case. As with all abduction reports, NY-SPI scrutinized every detail of John’s story, even asking him to take our psychological test as an added measure of validation. He passed all aspects of our analysis with flying colors. While this does not prove he was abducted that night, it more or less eliminates the typical mundane explanations (deception, mental illness, sleep paralysis, etc.) that may have accounted for his story. During this exhaustive process we came to know John and understand him as a person. 

When I think of John a scene in the classic movie Foul Play comes to mind. In this scene Chevy Chase trips and falls from a dock into the water only to emerge and ask Goldie Hawn, “Are you OK?” By no means am I implying that John is clumsy or a jokester, rather that he is an unbelievably caring person who is intent on making sure those around him are “OK” even when he’s faced with troubles of his own. Some might say that a person with these qualities would want to please investigators, unconsciously bending the details of their story to meet the expectations of NY-SPI investigators. I can assure you that this never occurred, that John’s story maintained its consistency throughout our investigation in the manner one would expect when dealing with real events. 

Members of NY-SPI spent days with John during the case investigation and with television being what it is, ultimately very little of the process was utilized in the pilot episode. This is unfortunate because so much of John’s story remains untold. Access to the complete case investigation could only leave the viewer with the image of a man haunted by an experience he cannot grasp or explain. An experience that still drives him to seek answers more than six years later. It is our sincere hope that someday the rest of this case footage will be made available to viewers (perhaps in an eventual DVD release) so that people can truly understand what happened to John. If this were to occur, I’m certain people wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss him as a liar or drunk, but instead come to terms with the possibility that he’s a regular guy who experienced something very irregular. 

One final note on John; it will be suggested by some that he, and many other abductees, are simply lying to gain attention for one or more reasons. If he was perpetuating a hoax and had managed to dupe a team of seasoned investigators with decades of experience between them (including a private investigator, former private investigator and two social workers) this would be a grand, Oscar-worthy performance to say the least. 

If this case had occurred in a post-September 11 world it could have triggered a national security alert. The airspace that corresponds with the Carteret sighting is riddled with sensitive targets: three major airports (Newark, Kennedy & LaGuardia), countless oil refineries and even McGuire Air Force Base. Yet at the time authorities were not concerned in the least and the incident, as is typical of the UFO field, rapidly faded away into obscurity for most of the country. Even if you choose to outright dismiss John’s alleged abduction report (which NY-SPI is not prepared to do) the evidence clearly indicates that whatever occurred over areas of New York and New Jersey that night was not something manmade and it remains a mystery to this day.” - TD 

Jed Turnbull: 

"The Carteret case and my work with John Predovan have raised some very interesting questions. Most of the questions or concerns are about an individual’s credibility and how I, as a professional psychotherapist, can discern who is being truthful and sincere, and who is not. 

John’s case is a good example of how the true nature of trauma and its adverse effects on our lives may be misunderstood. Many of John’s reactions to his experience, that some viewers felt diminished his credibility in the eyes of the public, are actually the indicators a trained mental health professional will understand to be typical and even expected as the result of a traumatic experience. I’ve heard comments such as: “He (John) didn’t seem very stable,” or “He was too nervous-looking, I just couldn’t believe what he said really happened.” 

There is little doubt among us that if an alien abduction did occur — to any of us — it would be traumatic. Foremost among the many symptoms of trauma is an overall instability in the usual activities of daily living — the same general activities that most of us find routine or basic to our lives. The usual way of looking at things, doing tasks, and simply ‘being’ has been turned upside down. Symptoms resulting from trauma include apathy/depression, sleep disturbances, nightmares, fatigue, disorientation, difficulties in concentrating and making decisions, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, guilt and fear. 

There is no question that John experienced many of these symptoms in the time following his experience. It literally derailed his life. It is only now, years later and after getting proper attention and care, that he has begun to turn his life around for the better. 

Consequently, for those trying to better understand the qualities of truthfulness and credibility, look to the unpleasant symptoms, emotional reactions, and lack of healthy functioning as characteristics of a traumatic event like an abduction. Moreover, these symptoms have undoubtedly been a glaring indication that something very unusual — and traumatic — unraveled John’s life." - JT 

Dennis Anderson: 

"I only interviewed witnesses who observed the lights from the west shore of Staten Island, so I will limit my comments to these individuals. In addition to Chris B. and Bob M., I spoke with three other witnesses at that location (the cafe). All witnesses provided verbal and written reports that were straightforward with almost no inconsistencies. Chris was the only one to mention that the area in front of the cafe was bathed in a reddish glow. All but one witnesses described the lights as having a sharply defined edge. Each person saw a different number of lights. This was due to the "switching off" effect demonstrated by the phenomenon. All witnesses were separated from each other during questioning to avoid contamination of the information. From my observations, it was apparent to me that the witnesses had not discussed the event with each other prior to my interviews. 

Furthermore, two witnesses, a mother and daughter exiting the Goethals Bridge toll plaza, also observed the lights. The line of sight from their location placed the lights above the cafe verifying the cafe witnesses' testimony. 

The best evidence is the radar data supplied by an FAA source. Evidence of targets moving at high speeds, at altitudes as high as 99,000 feet, without transponders is difficult to dismiss. 

Finally, I looked into many other possibilities for answers to what was observed that night. I could find no 

mundane explanation. In my opinion, the Carteret Lights must be considered true 'unknowns' until proven otherwise." - DA 

Denise Petty: 

"Based on my experience as a private investigator and the multitude of interviews I conduct, I believe that John P. believes, with every fiber in his being, that what occurred to him that night was real. His body language, vocal tonalities, recall without variation in the details and direct eye contact lead me to believe that John is being honest in his recollections. 

Frequently in my line of work when parties are interviewed, we verbally re-review the testimony and insert false details to see if the interviewee varies his or her statement. This was not the case with John, who in fact, corrected those interjections with no hesitation. Another point that I find very supportive of John’s relation of events is that for many years he did not seek to gain attention, fame or other recognition due to his experience. Conversely, he attempted to deal with this in silence (at least initially) -- a silence that nearly destroyed him. He did eventually publish a book about his scattered recollections in an effort to have someone listen to him, or so he claims. 

This is very typical of the vast majority of victims of other events, such as sexual assault, physical abuse and other experiences that may be categorized as shame or ego-based. His recollections of that night concur with statements of others who witnessed the event. In a court of law, his statements would hold up to direct and cross examination. I also believe that a jury would come to the same conclusion that I have: John believes that traumatic and life-altering acts were committed upon him that night. 

I believe that by finally contacting NY-SPI and seeking help, John may have set in motions events that could have very well saved his life and/or sanity." - DP 

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Special Witness Comments by

John Predovan:

"On the night of July 14th-15th 2001 just after 11:30 PM, my life was changed forever.  It was a night that I will never, ever forget.  The night a massive “V” shaped and “Diamond” shaped object of unknown origin that made Giants Stadium look like the size of a manhole cover was hovering over me.  My heart raced, sweat dripped from my face as I felt icy chills run throughout my body on that warm summer night.  That image will never be erased from my mind, nor will my abduction, and the ungodly things that these “beings” did to me.  The physical and emotional scars that were forced upon me will always be there, but my will to fight and hunt for the truth has never been stronger, and it’s all thanks to NY-SPI.

For years I’ve been battling for the search for the truth.  I’ve been ridiculed, taunted, teased and emotionally abused because of my ordeal.  Believe me, it’s not a great feeling to have when you wake up in the morning or lay in bed at night.  All the sleepless nights, all the tears that I’ve shed, questioning my sanity every hour on the hour, having no inner peace as my world around me had crumbled to the ground.  No one seemed to care about what I had to say about what happened to me.  No one wanted to listen.  I had very little support.  My relationships with friends and loved ones greatly suffered because of this.  I felt alone, discarded from the world, but that all changed when I met with NY-SPI.

When I met Oliver and Ted for the first time, I had an instant connection with them as they had in return.  We talked for quite some time as they listened to my every word and jotted everything down on paper.  They were professional and respectful, kind, sincere and most of all genuine, good-hearted people.  I felt that they truly cared for my well-being.  It didn’t end there on that first day.  From that moment on, Oliver and Ted, as well as Jed Turnbull and Dennis Anderson, have gone above and beyond to make me feel comfortable, safe and most of all, feeling that I’m not alone through all this.  I would get calls from them on how I was doing and feeling.  We would meet, talk and hang out whenever they were free.  Advice was offered to me in dealing with my ordeal.  For the first time in a long time, I learned to trust people again.

These days, things are getting much better.  My life is slowly but surely back on the right track.  The road ahead won’t be an easy one, but I’ll never yield as I did before.  I know now that there are people out there that truly care about the well-being of others.  NY-SPI is that group and I consider them my friends for life.  They pulled me up when I was down and out, and they are allowing me to tell my story.  I sincerely hope that by me coming forward, others will do the same.  I hope that others who live in fear and ridicule will muster up the courage and do the same as I have.  

I want to thank everyone at NY-SPI from the bottom of my heart, as well as the crew at Pilgrim Films and the SCI FI Channel, for helping me tell my story.  All of you have been so genuine, understanding and caring, as well as respectful and professional." - JP

Respectfully,

John Predovan