Shepherd and Mastiff Suspected in Amazon Delivery Driver's Death

In Wood Heights last night, shortly after 7:00pm, neighbors called police after seeing an Amazon delivery truck parked in the driveway of a nearby home for over two hours with the vehicle running and lights on. What Ray County Sheriff’s officers found when they got to the rainy scene was the driver, an area man, dead from wounds consistent with those of animal bites.

Sheriff Scott Childers reported that two dogs, a German Shepherd and English Mastiff, were on the property when they arrived. Officers shot at the mastiff because it was acting aggressively toward sheriff deputies and medical responders. The dogs went back into the residence but deputies could hear them barking and there was blood on the dog door. The Sheriff and deputies entered the home and shot and killed both dogs to protect deputies, medical personnel, and detectives at the scene. The Sheriff reported that the owners of the residence were out of town but that the dogs had been being cared for.

Amazon has released the following statement in regard to the driver’s death:

“We’re deeply saddened by tonight’s tragic incident involving a member of our Amazon family and will be providing support to the team and the driver’s loved ones. We are assisting law enforcement in their investigation.”

Due to the nature of the injuries, deputies could neither confirm or deny the dogs involvement in the cause of the death of the driver. An autopsy will be performed on the driver and a necropsy will be performed on the dogs. The goal will be to determine the contents of the dogs’ stomachs. The driver’s name is not being released at this time until family can be notified. If the reports show that the dogs were responsible, it could carry some heavy consequences for the owners.

According to the Revisor of Missouri, effective January 1, 2017, Chapter 578, Statute 578.024 states under provision 1: “A person commits the offense of keeping a dangerous dog if he or she owns or possesses a dog that has previously bitten a person or a domestic animal without provocation and that dog bites any person on a subsequent occasion.” The provision of keeping a dangerous dog is a class B misdemeanor, unless that attack results in the death of any person, in which case, it is a Class D felony. According to Johnson Law Firm, LLC, A Class D felony in Missouri is punishable by up to seven years in prison or one year in the county jail. The court can also impose a fine of up to $10,000. In addition to prison time and fines, a person convicted of a Class D felony offense also receives a permanent felony criminal record that appears on their background check for school, jobs, and housing. It also restricts future liabilities, such as possessing a firearm, voting, and running for public office.