'A mess': Interstate clears after USPS truck spills mail

    North Carolina (WRAL) -- The morning commute was brought to a halt Monday after a United States Postal Service truck spilled mail on Interstate 40 at Page Road.

The mess of scattered mail caused a traffic slowdown beginning around 7 a.m. in the westbound lanes at Exit 282 for Page Road, near Research Triangle Park. By 9 a.m., most of the mail had been cleared from the roadway, and traffic was moving freely again.

Durham police at the scene said a USPS truck was carrying mail from Raleigh to Chapel Hill when it lost two crates of mail, causing a minor car crash. No one was injured.

Police officers said the back door to the mail truck was not secured properly.

Most of the mail was destined for Chapel Hill and included personal parcels, including credit cards and even a check.

WRAL News contacted Jane Beattie from Richmond, Virginia, who had mailed the check to her son for his birthday.

"It’s just kind of shocking and startling," Beattie said. "Coming from Richmond down to the Durham area shouldn’t take a week or so."

Beattie was more concerned about the crash than her check, although no injuries were reported.

"I’d be more concerned for the person in the accident that they were okay or not," Beattie said. "I mean, money is money. [I'm] just surprised. Not devastated, just surprised."

WRAL News returned the check to the Durham Police Department and reached out to USPS.

"The Postal Service has recovered the mail that spilled out of a vehicle this morning," the USPS told WRAL Monday afternoon. "The recovered mail is being taken to the local postal processing center to be reprocessed and delivered. No packages were involved. Customers should expect to receive the mail involved in the incident by tomorrow."

USPS customers with questions about their mail should contact them at 1-800-ASK-USPS.