A woman discovered a dead body in a 5th Street home on Monday plus officers answered multiple calls for children in danger. We break down the highlights from the Portsmouth Police Chief’s Briefing.
Hold The Salt, Please
Just after midnight, police responded to a report of a pile of salt in the middle of Pleasant Avenue. They contacted the answering service for city services.
About two hours later, the city arrived to remove the salt.
He Seems Fine To Me
Police discovered an obviously confused man in the parking lot of SOMC ER at 12:42 am. He was not able to answer basic questions.
Officers said a nurse came out and asked the man a question, which he got wrong. The nurse then said the man was alert and oriented but probably on drugs but there was nothing they could do for him.
Police contacted the man’s wife who picked him up. Officers advised the wife on her options for mental health help.
Under The Influence
At 5:57 am, a caller at the Royal Inn on Kendal reported a man talking to himself while banging on things and waking other people up. Police could not locate him.
Officers answered a call to Front Street for a report of an apparently high man. They could not locate him.
Crashes and other Hazards
Police responded to Slocum Road for a report of a vehicle in a ditch at 6:50 am. The vehicle was unoccupied and not posting a traffic hazard. There were no keys in the car.
Suspicious Stuff
- Employees at 5th/3rd Bank called police to 6th Street at 8:31 am for a backpack full of stuff sitting on the sidewalk. Officers believe a homeless person may have left it there.
- One of a pair of panhandling brothers that frequently target Gallia Street shoppers was at it again at 2 pm in the Aldi Parking Lot. He’d left the premises by the time police arrived.
- A 25th Street caller reported a strange man on her porch at 5 pm. She said he wore a large coat and pants that were falling down. She had surveillance video of the man.
- At 11:38 pm, a 4th Street caller reported a man attempting to open doors in the area.
Hey! That’s My Stuff
- A resident of Hudson House reported his medication was stolen. It should have arrived via UPS delivery. Officers gave the man a missing medication form.
- Once again proving thieves will help themselves to anything that’s not nailed down and some things that are, someone made off with the gates to Branch Rickey Park. The gates were last seen on 1/22 around 3 pm. Officers took information for a report.
- At 5:39 pm, Speedway reported someone stole a carton of cigarettes. Police took information for a report.
Towed Away
Police towed a vehicle on High Street after the owner failed to move it for more than 72 hours just after 8:27 am.
Officers tagged a junk vehicle on Cherry Street Just after noon.
Police towed and impounded a vehicle for a parking violation behind a Farney Avenue home at 1:03 am.
Sharing Electricity
Officers discovered two houses on High Street sharing electricity with an extension cord. An officer unplugged one of the homes.
No one answered at either residence.
DOA
Officers responded to a report of a dead body inside a 5th Street home just after 4 pm.
A neighbor called police and told them a woman at the home asked him to call for help after she discovered a dead man inside.
Police contacted the Coroner and then took photos at the scene and coordinated with the Coroner’s office to manage the scene.
Violation of Privacy
At 4:29 pm, a man contacted police to report a man for making a video of his daughter while she was in the shower.
Child In Danger
Officers rolled out to assist Children’s Service in a call on Kendall Avenue at 4:30 pm. A man reportedly threatened to come at CPS workers with a knife.
The workers had a recording of him threatening at assaulting a toddler. Police met the CPS worker at the Oasis Convenient Mart. However, there was no answer at the apartment when they arrived with CPS.
Custody Questions
Police found themselves in the middle of a custody dispute when they were called to a Kent Street home just before 9 pm.
A couple said they gave a friend and his child a ride and noticed something was wrong with the father. They offered to take the child back to their house and he’d stayed there ever since.
Sever people attempted to pick the child up on behalf of the father but the couples said they did not feel safe letting the child go with strangers and would be willing to take custody of the child.
Officers contacted Pike County Children Services. The agency dispatched a worker that took charge of placing the child.
Out In The Cold
A Vinton Avenue caller reported an 8-year-old boy outside in the cold without clothes at 10:48 pm. The caller said the child’s father was threatening the boy and another child.