‘The devil made me do it’: Mableton man charged with ramming postal truck

A Mableton man, Claude William Monroe, has been charged with hit and run and is accused of causing a severe collision with a U.S. Postal Service truck while it was delivering mail.

According to an arrest warrant issued by the Austell Police Department, the incident occurred around 4:52 p.m. on July 29 on Sylvia Street in Austell, just off Veterans Memorial Highway. 

Allegedly, Monroe, 55, was driving at a high rate of speed when he crashed into the U.S. Postal Service truck. The impact caused the postal truck to careen into a residential home at 1812 Sylvia Street. 

Witnesses to the incident narrowly avoided being hit by the out-of-control truck. The impact caused major injuries to the postal worker operating the truck as well as significant damage to the front of the property. The injured postal worker was taken to Wellstar Cobb Hospital for medical treatment.

After the initial collision, Monroe reportedly got out of his car and intentionally struck the U.S. Postal truck multiple times. According to the arrest warrant, he made unsettling statements, claiming that the devil told him to carry out the act. Shortly after that, Monroe confessed to hitting the victim multiple times.

Monroe was taken into custody at the incident and booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center. Jail records confirm he is facing charges of hit and run, reckless driving, and aggravated assault. 

Monroe’s bond has been set at $15,000, and he currently remains in custody.