Home US An angry Michigan homeowner is locked in a five-year battle to keep mail carriers out of his yard, costing him hundreds of dollars in damages

An angry Michigan homeowner is locked in a five-year battle to keep mail carriers out of his yard, costing him hundreds of dollars in damages

0 comments
Benny Hunt, a homeowner in Waterford, Michigan, is seeking justice as mail trucks continue to tear up his front yard.

A Michigan man is seeking justice as mail trucks continue to tear up his front yard.

Waterford resident Benny Hunt detailed the bizarre saga last week, claiming the truck had been driving around his lawn for years.

As he spoke, a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail delivery driver pulled up, drove past Hunt’s house and headed to his neighbor’s side of the sidewalk.

A WXYZ reporter proceeded to chase her, asking the driver why she had crossed the sidewalk to make her deliveries.

The driver did not respond, as Hunt claimed the same thing has been happening in his front yard for the past five years.

Scroll down to watch the video:

Benny Hunt, a homeowner in Waterford, Michigan, is seeking justice as mail trucks continue to tear up his front yard.

Last week it detailed the bizarre saga, presenting surveillance footage showing how such breaches have been happening for years.

Last week it detailed the bizarre saga, presenting surveillance footage showing how such breaches have been happening for years.

“I literally have the best grass in the neighborhood, so it hurts me when I see someone drive over it,” a visibly frustrated Hunt told the outlet.

“I have an estimate of $500 in damages.”

Detailing the damage, he said: “They ran over three or four solar street lights and destroyed them. They also destroyed four or five different American flags,” Hunt said.

Reporter Sarah Michals asked at this point what taxpayer-funded drivers say when confronted with the concept that driving on the sidewalk damages the owner’s property.

“What do they tell you?” he asked.

“It’s a security hazard,” he said.

Hunt went on to explain how he and his wife, who have a young son, have repeatedly complained to local authorities by filing police reports, all to no avail.

When the problem persisted, he even tried moving his mailbox to form a sort of barricade, he explains, a maneuver that resulted in USPS issuing its own complaint.

As he spoke, a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail delivery driver pulled up, drove past Hunt's house and headed to his neighbor's side of the sidewalk.

As he spoke, a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail delivery driver pulled up, drove past Hunt’s house and headed to his neighbor’s side of the sidewalk.

A WXYZ reporter chased her down and asked the driver why she had crossed the sidewalk to make her deliveries. The driver did not respond, as Hunt claimed the same thing has been happening in her front yard for the past five years.

A WXYZ reporter chased her down and asked the driver why she had crossed the sidewalk to make her deliveries. The driver did not respond, as Hunt claimed the same thing has been happening in her front yard for the past five years.

“They say it’s a safety hazard for the mail carrier who delivers my mail,” he said. “They refuse to deliver my mail.”

He insisted that this defense arose despite the fact that some of his neighbors have their mailboxes in almost identical positions.

At this point in the conversation, the USPS truck stopped, apparently noticing the news crew and passing Hunt’s portion of the sidewalk.

When the driver refused to talk, Michals went to the USPS carrier annex to seek answers, where they also refused to discuss the issue.

Citing how she encountered similar rejection in her half-decade-long quest for answers, she told the outlet: “I called 43 times yesterday and not a single answer.”

When asked about the issue last week, the USPS responded with this brief statement: “The Postal Service will contact the customer to resolve any delivery issues.

“The Postal Service apologizes for any inconvenience this has caused to customers,” he concluded.

When the driver refused to talk, the reporter went to the USPS carrier annex for answers, where they also refused to discuss the issue.

When the driver refused to talk, the reporter went to the USPS carrier annex for answers, where they also refused to discuss the issue.

Citing how she encountered similar rejection in her half-decade search for answers, she told the outlet:

Citing how she encountered similar rejection in her half-decade-long quest for answers, she told the outlet: “I called 43 times yesterday, not a single answer.”

When asked about the issue last week, the USPS responded with this brief statement:

When asked about the issue last week, the USPS responded with this brief statement: “The Postal Service will contact the customer to resolve any delivery issues.

Meanwhile, Hunt said he is planning to sue USPS for damages as it remains stuck in a bitter standoff.

Meanwhile, Hunt said he is planning to sue USPS for damages as it remains stuck in a bitter standoff.

After hearing the statement, Hunt responded by saying, ‘I still don’t have any mail.

“This is what I’ve been dealing with for five years, over and over again,” he said, while at one point sitting outside with his son, amid concerns for his safety.

Asked about the incidents, police in the city of 70,000 said it was illegal for cars to drive on sidewalks and private property, but did not explain why no complaints had been filed.

Meanwhile, Hunt said he is planning to sue USPS for damages as it remains stuck in a bitter standoff.

You may also like