A postal worker lost a leg and suffered severe facial injuries after being struck by a car while working his mail route in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, according to police and people who know him. The 48-year-old was left in critical condition following the collision, which was captured on surveillance video.
Police said the worker was standing behind his parked postal vehicle gathering mail when a silver Honda sedan hit him at the intersection of Ashburner and Walker streets shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. Authorities said the driver continued forward and crashed into another parked vehicle after striking the postal worker.
Aftermath and ongoing investigation in Holmesburg
The worker was transported to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in critical condition, sources said. Police said the driver remained at the scene and has not been charged. The Crash Investigation Division is investigating the incident.
Friends, coworkers and residents described the victim as a familiar and well-liked presence in the neighborhood. Anthony Perez, who said he knows the worker from Tony’s Deals up the street, recalled his willingness to go the extra mile.
“This guy was amazing. He went out of his way. Like at my store, Tony’s Deals up the street here, I would turn around and say hey can you wait for me? He was ready to go home, and he would wait,” Perez said.
Perez also expressed disbelief about what happened.
“How could it happen to someone like that?” he said.
Neighbors describe a familiar face on the route
Neighbors said the postal worker knew many people on his route and regularly made an effort to be kind. Alexander Urbina of Holmesburg Auto said he was shaken by the crash.
“Actually I was crying just now because I met the guy. He used to come to my store everyday and he was the nicest person ever, always smiling,” Urbina said.
Urbina said the driver involved in the crash had just left his dealership after picking up a friend’s car when the collision occurred. Neighbors said the postal worker was on his usual route, although he was not driving his usual vehicle. Those who know the worker said they are hoping for his recovery.
“Prayers. And prayers from everyone,” Perez said.
What a USPS letter carrier does on a daily route
A United States Postal Service letter carrier is responsible for collecting and delivering mail along an assigned residential or business route, typically on foot after driving a postal vehicle between stops. Carriers often become recognizable figures in the neighborhoods they serve, interacting regularly with residents and business owners over years of service. The USPS is the independent federal agency that processes and delivers mail across the country, employing hundreds of thousands of carriers nationwide. In Philadelphia, postal carriers operate routes in every neighborhood, including longstanding routes in the Holmesburg section of the Lower Northeast.
Reported by 6abc.
Leave a Reply