Postal Workers Injured in Separate Incidents

Safety at Work

Harris County, TX (WorkersCompensation.com) – A postal worker is dead after being hit by a man fleeing a crime scene, officials in Texas said.

The injury comes as attacks and injuries to postal workers ramp up across the country.

According to the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office postal carrier Steven Marks was delivering mail when his mail truck was hit by a man who had been involved in another crash up the road. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 48-year-old Jose Humberto Romero.

Sheriff’s Office officials said the incident happened Oct. 18. Officials said Marks was working his normal Saturday morning route when Romero lost control of his pickup truck and rear-ended Marks’ postal vehicle. The impact of the crash sent Marks’ postal truck into a tree. Marks was taken to a hospital but later died from his injuries.

“We have witnesses that did observe the vehicle going at a significant high rate of speed,” a Harris County Sheriff’s Office sergeant said. “It was a pretty violent crash that occurred.”

Romero now faces a charge of intoxication manslaughter. He was arrested previously in 2023 for driving while intoxicated. Because of his previous DWI charge, Romero’s current charges were upgraded to a higher felony. Since Marks was a USPS employee, federal charges are also possible. Romero remains in the Harris County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

The USPS said it mourned the loss of its employee.

"The Postal Service is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life on Saturday, October 18, in a two-vehicle accident in Houston, TX, involving our Postal family member with 28 years of service. Our thoughts are with their family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. We will be offering counseling services to our employees at the Cornerstone Post Office as the investigation into the incident continues,” the agency said in a statement.

In Topeka, Kan., a postal worker said she is happy to be alive after she was attacked by a dog.

Sarah Stevens said she was delivering mail on Oct. 17 to her route in the Kenwood neighborhood of Topeka when a pit bull leaped over a fence and attacked her. Stevens said she fought off the animal only to have it latch onto her arm, sending her to the ground.

“It surprised me that it got out,” Sarah Stevens said. “I was not expecting it. They bark at you, but there’s lots of dogs that bark at you.”

Stevens said her pleas for help were answered when a neighbor with a gun approached the dog and shot it.

“She put her arm out and he shot the gun at the dog,” Phillip Stevens. Sarah Stevens’ husband said. “From there, that’s when I got a call. She said, ‘Hey I’ve been attacked by a dog’ and I just flew.”

Sarah Stevens said she spent several hours at a local hospital being treated for her injuries which included multiple cuts and punctures and a fractured bone. She said if the neighbor hadn’t shown up and shot the dog, she may have been injured more.

“I am feeling very happy to be alive,” Sarah Stevens said. “I’m glad it was me and not a child. Stuff happens, we just gotta get up and roll with it.”

USPS spokeswoman Tara Jarrett confirmed to media outlets that the attack is one of thousands that are reported by the USPS each year across the country.

Sarah Stevens is due for further medical visits to determine the extent of the damage to her hand and to work out a recovery plan so she can return to work.

“I’m alive and I’m gonna heal and I’m gonna go back to delivering mail,” she said.

And in Everett, Wash., police have arrested a delivery driver who was accused of shooting a USPS letter carrier in the face.

Officials said they were called to the West Mall Place Apartments on Oct. 3 for reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found the postal worker suffering from a gunshot wound to the face.

Postal Inspector John Wiegand said the carrier was delivering mail at the complex when the shooting occurred.

"A lot of postal carriers are well known to the people that they deliver to; they're out here every day doing a service to the community.," Wiegand said. "I don't know this specific mail carrier, but absolutely they've been around for a long time, they're well known, well liked so this is devastating to the community, the community at large, everyone. Mail carriers are just out here trying to do their jobs and get that package to the next person, so this is a pretty big one for the postal service itself."

Witnesses said the delivery driver and the mail carrier may have gotten into a verbal altercation over opening the mail boxes at the apartment building.

Officials said the suspected shooter was arrested without incident and was booked into the Snohomish County Jail.

Investigators are still working to determine what sparked the dispute, police said.

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