This Illinois Ghost Story Will Keep You From Driving In The Backwoods

October is my favorite month. Costumes, pumpkin carving, caramel apples, Halloween and scary movies.

And we even got a Friday the 13th this year to give the month some extra spook. I'm a huge fan of all things scary, so when I heard this story about a ghost in Illinois, I had to share.

The story takes place in the southern part of Illinois, Jonesboro, in the late 1800's.

Imagine driving in your car and seeing something in the road. So you pull over. When you approach, you realize a man is lying face down in a huge pool of blood. So you try to help him, but when you try to roll him over, you're hands go right through him. Then you drive away in a hurry only to feel the bumps as your car drives over the body. That's exactly what happened on Dug Hill Road, in the forests between Brown Barrens and Trail of Tears.

It's thought that this ghost was the lingering spirit of Marshall Welch, on officer who was killed in 1865 by Union Army deserters he had turned in, but were later released when the Civil War ended. Since then, people have also heard the sound of horse hooves and gunshots in the same exact area. It gets even more strange. People who have been unlucky enough to break down on the side of the road in this spot have reported a horse and carriage racing toward them and then disappearing right before it crashes into them.

So if you really want a scare this Halloween, take a drive down Highway 146 in Jonesboro, IL. You won't be disssppointed.

[H/T: Only In Your State]