Police said Twyla Brigham was hit outside a crosswalk by a USPS vehicle.
ST. BERNARD, Ohio — A Cincinnati-area family is mourning Twyla Brigham, a 28-year-old mother and University of Cincinnati student, after authorities said she was hit and killed by a U.S. Postal Service truck early Wednesday.
The crash happened about 2:09 a.m. in the 4700 block of Vine Street in St. Bernard. Police said Brigham was outside a crosswalk when the USPS vehicle struck her. Officers found her badly injured, and emergency crews took her to a hospital, where she died.
Her husband, Aaron Freeman, said the couple had spent the evening at a friend’s house before the crash. He said they parted with love just minutes before he heard noise outside. From an upstairs window, Freeman said, he saw Brigham lying in the road. “We said goodbye, told each other we loved each other,” he said.
Freeman said Brigham was rebuilding her life with purpose. After years traveling with him and producing music, she had enrolled at the University of Cincinnati to study psychology. He said she had a powerful will and a gift for rising after hardship. “You’d think that a person had hit their all-time low and, in reality, they were just getting started pulling themselves right up out of the mud,” Freeman said.
The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office identified Brigham after the crash. Vine Street was closed while police investigated and reopened around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Authorities have not said whether speed, lighting, visibility or other factors played a role. The investigation was still underway.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service said the postal worker involved remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The agency said it was working with USPS personnel and local authorities. No charges had been filed. St. Bernard police and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office were among the agencies that responded.
Freeman said he is now focused on honoring Brigham and caring for their four children. Funeral services were expected May 30, and a memorial service was also planned. A family friend started a fundraiser to help with funeral costs.
Freeman said Brigham’s memory would shape the rest of his life. He called her fun-loving, fierce and devoted to family. “She was a delight to everybody,” he said. “The rest of my life will be dedicated to peace.”
Author note: Last updated Sunday, May 17, 2026.