Porch pirates, or thieves who steal packages from people’s porches, are a problem everywhere. However, a United States Postal Service worker in Florida took things too far recently when he allegedly tried to run over a suspected porch pirate who turned out to be an innocent 10-year-old boy.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the incident happened on Saturday, December 27, 2025, on Kingfisher Way in Escambia County, Florida, when USPS employee William White Jr., 41, reportedly delivered a parcel to the wrong home. The resident’s 10-year-old son, realizing the mistake, placed the package on his electric scooter to take it to the correct address.
Investigators allege that White saw the child with the package and assumed he was a “porch pirate.” Rather than calling authorities, White reportedly drove his USPS vehicle toward the child. The boy managed to jump into a nearby yard just before the postal truck struck and crushed his scooter.
What happened to White?
Following the collision, authorities say White removed the damaged scooter from beneath his truck and placed it inside the vehicle. A family member of the boy followed the USPS delivery truck to confront the driver. At that point, White allegedly threw the scooter into a yard and fled the scene.
Law enforcement interviewed White a few days later, leading to his arrest on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, when he arrived for his shift. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail on several charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which is a felony, as well as criminal mischief and petit theft for taking the scooter.
The boy received medical attention
The victim was treated for a minor ankle injury at the Studer Family Children’s Hospital in Pensacola following the encounter. Some reports say he suffered a minor ankle injury.
White was released on a $5,500 bond shortly after his arrest. The U.S. Postal Service confirmed on January 5, 2026, that it is cooperating with the Postal Inspection Service. The USPS told the Pensacola News Journal in a statement, “The Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service, is actively investigating this issue in partnership with local law enforcement. We can confirm that the individual has been employed [since] 2025. The Postal Service does not publicly comment on personnel matters.”
FHP Captain Jason King noted that the evidence points to an intentional act of aggression rather than an accidental crash. “This isn’t just a simple, ‘Oops,’ crash with a 10-year-old in the road,” King told local news outlet WEAR. “This is an intentional act by a United States postal worker. Court dates for the case are expected to be set in the coming weeks as prosecutors move forward.
