The Monolith Monsters

In the desert outside of San Angelo, California, a meteorite crashes, scattering hundreds of black fragments. Federal geologist Ben Gilbert brings one of the fragments to his office and local newspaper publisher Martin Cochrane examines it. Dave Miller, the head of San Angelo's district geological office, finds Ben's corpse in a petrified state after a strong wind blows over a full water container onto the black rock, starting a chemical reaction. As the situation unfolds, Cathy Barrett, a school teacher and Dave's girlfriend, joins him in investigating the fragments' strange properties, which cause some inhabitants of the nearby small town to petrify.