Letter carrier dies of stroke after being attacked by dog

A 59-year-old employee of the U.S. Postal Service has died of a stroke after being hospitalized with dog bites suffered while she was delivering mail, according to the San Diego County medical examiner.

Diane Jansen was bitten on the legs by a pit bull while on her route in Escondido on March 1. Jansen "developed slurred speech and became unresponsive" while being examined by medical personnel, according to the medical examiner.

Jansen, who had worked for the Postal Service since 2006, was taken to Palomar Medical Center "with a poor prognosis" and was removed from life support March 3. She was pronounced dead the next day.

The medical examiner lists the cause of death as a stroke due to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The dog bites are listed as a contributing condition.

The dog was euthanized with the owner's permission, officials said.

The San Diego area had 45 instances of dogs biting letter carriers in 2010, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Only Houston, with 62, had more.

San Diego and Columbus, Ohio, were tied for second. Los Angeles had 44, according to the Postal Service.

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-- Tony Perry in San Diego