Postal worker accused of leading police on wrong-way chase on Interstate 79 in Greene County
MOON TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — A Moon Township U.S. Postal Service worker is accused of stealing a mail truck and leading police on a wrong-way chase.
On Sunday afternoon, Dan Freeman was driving to Bridgeville after camping in Virginia with friends. Around 1:30 p.m., he saw something unusual on I-79 northbound in Waynesburg.
"I can see lights on either side of the highway, and I'm like oh that's not good," Freeman said.
Cars ahead of him began to slow down, and a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation truck in front of him pulled over on the left shoulder.
“I feared for my life at that moment”
— Lauren Linder (@lauren_linder) January 24, 2023
A man driving home from a cabin trip came across a surprise on I-79 in #GreeneCounty - a @USPS truck traveling directly at him
All caught on dash cam@MoonTwpPD tells me a #USPS worker stole the truck. He’s in Greene Co. Jail.@KDKA pic.twitter.com/AT3PUn5lCo
Freeman was about to go around the stopped vehicle when the driver of a mail truck came straight at him. Instinct kicked in, and Freeman skirted to the left and stopped behind the truck.
A state trooper squad soon followed the mail truck.
"I feared for my life at that moment," Freeman said.
Later, Freeman learned the person behind the wheel allegedly stole the mail truck from Moon Township. State police out of Waynesburg said they got called to be on the lookout for the truck southbound on I-79.
Eventually, they caught up to the driver, who police say led them on a 2-mile chase. He was later taken into custody and identified as 35-year-old Tyler Floro, a postal worker out of the Moon Township location off Thorn Run Road Extension.
In Greene County, he faces several charges, including fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, aggravated assault for attempting or causing serious bodily injury, and driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.
"When he came by, he was smiling and had this calm look on his face, like he was out for a Sunday drive," Freeman said.
As for Freeman, he knows things could have been much worse.
"I'd feel much differently about it if someone was hurt," Freeman said.
State police said while in custody, Floro spit on a trooper. He remains in the Greene County Prison. Police in Moon Township said they are planning to charge him with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Allegheny County.
KDKA-TV reached out to USPS for comment on Monday but has not heard back.