An American man who dressed up as Bigfoot in the hope that people would think they had spotted the mythical beast has been hit and killed by passing drivers.

Randy Lee Tenley was wearing a ghillie suit, a camouflage costume worm by military snipers and hunters, next to a highway in Montana when he was hit on Sunday night.

The 44-year-old was in the right-hand lane of the highway when a 15-year-old girl hit him.

A second car swerved to avoid Mr Tenley and a third car, driven by a 17-year-old girl, ran him over again.

Local police said the suit played a huge role in his death as it would have made it very hard for the drivers to see him.

"The camouflage suit was dark and subdued. It's designed to break up a silhouette and blend in with your surroundings," Highway Patrol trooper Jim Schneider said.

"It definitely hindered the ability of people to see him on the highway."

Mr Tenley was alone and there were no witnesses to the crash. Shortly afterwards, a friend of Tenley's arrived at the crash scene and spoke to police.

"We can only speculate as to his exact intentions, but according to another member of his party his intention was to get people to believe they saw a sasquatch," Trooper Schneider said.

"It is a bizarre set of circumstances and it is certainly tragic."

Police believe Mr Tenley had been drinking and was in the middle of the lane when he was hit.

Source:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8523508/big-foot-impersonator-hit-and-killed-on-highway