HOUSTON – There’s nothing Mark Bannert hates more than a litterbug.
“I usually pick up every day but this is kind of ridiculous,” Bannert said. Bannert saw what he thought was some trash blowing by his office window on Brittmore Road near Hammerly Boulevard Thursday morning.
He came out to investigate and discovered thousands of documents on the side of the road, many containing personal and sensitive information.
“You got the guy's name, Social (Security Number) and phone number,” Bannert said.
He has no idea how they got here.
“Canceled checks, Harris County Appraisal District -- it's all documents that should have been shredded already. They got into the wrong hands and are out on the street right now,” Bannert said.
One document in particular really jumped out at him because of the name that was written on it.
“John O'Quinn,” Bannert said.
John O’Quinn was the high-powered Houston attorney who died in a car crash in October 2009. A copy of a check written to him by a Houston judge for the Court of Appeals of Texas for $97 and some change back in September of 2000 was among the documents found.
“I'm just scared this stuff is going to get in the wrong hands with the wrong people is what's going to happen,” Bannert said.
Bannert said he called the city and a few hours later the trash was gone.
“I'm a busy person and I don't have the manpower to pick up this much paper,” Bannert said.