A 58-year-old postal worker, Steven Marks, died Saturday after his mail truck was rear-ended by a speeding pickup in northwest Harris County near Antoine Drive and West Greens Road. The collision ended a life of service in a moment of chaos—and has left the tight-knit mail route community mourning.
Early that Saturday morning, deputies responded to a crash in the 11700 block of Antoine Drive, not far from West Greens. Investigators say the accident involved a U.S. Postal Service delivery vehicle and a pickup truck. Marks was driving the postal truck when he was struck from behind by a pickup driven by Jose Humberto Romero, 50, who had allegedly fled from a minor collision moments earlier near Antoine and Veterans Memorial Drive.
After the impact, Marks was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Despite efforts by medical staff, he was later pronounced dead. Authorities say Romero’s pickup lost control during the chase and slammed into the rear of the postal vehicle.
At the crash scene, law enforcement reported signs that Romero was intoxicated. He was given a field sobriety test, which he failed, and was taken into custody. Romero now faces first-degree felony intoxication manslaughter charges—because Texas law upgrades the charge when a defendant has a prior DWI conviction, as Romero does (dating back to 2023). The Harris County District Attorney’s Office accepted the charge.
Friends and colleagues described Marks as more than just a mailman. For more than two decades, he served the neighborhood—helping elderly residents with their trash bins, pausing to chat along his route, always reliable and kind. Neighbors said the news of his death hit hard, especially in corners of the route where folks had seen his face for years.
Law enforcement continues probing the finer details: exactly how Romero’s pickup lost control, how fast he was going, and whether the initial hit-and-run collision contributed to the eventual deadly impact. The sheriff’s office also says it notified the DA’s office early, and the case is now in their hands.
In the wake of the tragedy, the community and USPS co-workers are left with two painful truths: a life cut short and the knowledge that a routine mail route became the stage for reckless disregard. As authorities build their case, many are holding onto the memory of Steven Marks—not as a victim, but as someone who showed up every day, faithfully and kindly, to connect a community.
