Wood Heights Mail Service Suspended After Alleged Gun Incident

Wood Heights, MO – Mail delivery service has been suspended on Lakeview Drive and Ridgeway Drive in Wood Heights after an incident involving a resident and a mail carrier on the afternoon of February 7, 2023.

According to a police report, Ray County Deputies were dispatched to Lakeview Drive after receiving a call of a male subject pointing a gun at a mail carrier. Deputies Matt Callen and Ray Orth responded to the scene and contacted the resident in question. The man denied pointing a gun at the mail carrier and showed Deputy Callen an older model pump action BB gun. His explanation was that he was aiming at cats who were getting into his horseshoe boxes and that he never pointed the gun at the mail carrier.

However, when the deputies spoke to the mail carrier, he claimed that the resident was “tracking him with the rifle” and pointing it directly at his face while he was driving. The mail carrier also stated that he has had problems with the same resident in the past but has not reported all of them. Due to concerns for the mail carrier’s safety, the Excelsior Springs Postmaster made the decision to suspend mail delivery in the neighborhood until further notice.

*A map showing the approximate boundaries of the neighborhood in Wood Heights affected by this incident.*

The incident has caused inconvenience and frustration for the residents on Lakeview Drive and Ridgeway Drive, who now have to go to the Excelsior Springs Post Office to pick up their mail. Some residents have expressed their frustration, saying that they had no issues with the mail carrier and were disappointed that their neighbor’s actions had caused the suspension of their mail service.

The Ray County Sheriff’s Office and Postal Service are still investigating the incident, and it remains to be seen when and how the mail delivery service will resume in the neighborhood. In the meantime, residents are advised to check with the Post Office for updates on the status of their mail delivery.

Update 2/16/2023, 12:05 PM –

In an update on the ongoing investigation into disruptions in mail service in Wood Heights, Sheriff Scott Childers announced today that an arrest warrant was served to Lonnie Holman on charges of felony harassment. Holman has been transported to the Ray County Jail.

Sheriff Childers also confirmed that he has contacted the Postal Service to inform them of the situation, and expressed hope that mail service will be restored quickly. It is not yet clear how long the disruption will last.

The Sheriff’s Office investigation has now been completed, and the charges will be sent to the prosecutor tomorrow for review. Sheriff Childers has explained the situation to the prosecutor and asked that she move the process along quickly to ensure that mail service can return to normal.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding during this difficult time,” said Sheriff Childers in a statement. “We understand the inconvenience this has caused, and we are doing everything we can to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”

It is unclear at this time what actions the USPS will take once the legal process has been completed. Sheriff Childers noted he does not have control over the postal service’s decisions, but he is hopeful that mail delivery will be back to normal in a few days.

Residents of Wood Heights are advised to stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops.