A Portsmouth Police officer saves an overdose victim while other officers try to get help for a mentally ill woman. We break down the highlights from the Portsmouth Police Chief’s Daily Briefing.
Suspicious Behavior
- A Timmonds Avenue caller spotted a guy in dark clothing crouched down beside a garage in the alley. The man held a flashlight. A witness saw him run towards Kinneys Lane. Police could not locate the suspect.
- Six minutes later, a caller spotted two suspicious men tampering with the box by the tracks at 10th at Hutchins. Police could not locate them.
Unwelcome Guests
- Officers responded to a report of a disturbance on Gallia Street at 12:36 am. A man was sleeping in a woman’s broken-down vehicle without her permission. The man left before the police arrived.
- At 1:18 am, a man told police he received a text from a woman he doesn’t know. She said she was in his apartment. The man was out of town and asked the police to check it out. When officers arrived at the scene, the people inside initially refused to answer the door. The woman said she was there to pick up her property. The man agreed to let her pick it up in the morning. Police advised her to file a police report if she wasn’t allowed to collect her belongings.
- A Farley Court resident called police at 4 am to report a man with a key came into their apartment without permission. Police stood by while he returned the key and advised him not to return.
Hey! That’s My Stuff
- A McKinley Avenue caller reported a vehicle break-in at 5:39 am. Officers took information for a report.
- Police received a report from Highland Avenue of a busted window on a van at 5:46 am.
- At 8:30 am, a Broadway Street resident reported someone entered a home and storage building and stole items.
- A Vinton Avenue caller contacted police at 8:35 am to report that a homeless man stole her trash cans. Police suggested she call the City to report her can missing.
- Police responded to Bihl Office Supply at 9:23 am for a report of catalytic converters stolen off several parked vehicles.
No Room at the Inn
Police responded to a report of a person in a yellow jacket lying in front of the door of Smith Drugs at 7:05 am. She got up and left. Police caught up with him at the Holiday Inn.
A few minutes later, the front desk at the Holiday Inn told officers she’d been loitering in the area since 3 am and moving back and forth between the hotel and Smith Drugs. Police advised her she is not welcome on the property.
Police checked in on the woman at 9:57 am. They asked to move away from the hotel driveway and then an officer attempted to get help for the woman from a mental health facility.
The officer later transported the woman to the facility for evaluation.
At 4:38 pm, a caller reported a suspicious woman hanging around the rear of a home. It was the same woman from earlier in the day. Police advised her to move along.
Parking Crackdown
Officers continued their PMHA parking crackdown at 10:31 am. An officer issued a citation for a vehicle parked on a sidewalk in the 1800 block of Kendall. The owner had not yet paid a previous citation for parking in a handicapped spot back in January. Officers called for a tow truck and impounded the vehicle.
Trashy Behavior
- A manager from Wayne Hills called the police at 10:43 am to report someone dumped a hot tub and other garbage in the parking lot off Thomas Avenue.
- Officers responded to a report of graffiti painted on a garage on Waller Street.
- At 1:48 pm, a Clare Avenue caller reported someone spray-painted a vehicle overnight.
- Boost Mobile on the Scioto Trail contact police at 3:31 pm to report graffiti painted on their building.
Officer Saves Overdose Victim
An officer saved a man from an overdose at 11:52 am. They found a man passed out in a running vehicle at Gallia and Bahner Road.
The officer put the vehicle in park, turned off the engine, and dragged the man out to administer a dose of Narcan.
Then, the officer administered two doses before EMTs arrived and medics administered another dose. The man woke up but was not able to stand. An ambulance transported him to SOMC.
Overdose Abuse
An angry father contacted the police at 1:57 pm regarding his son. The son died of an overdose and the dad said someone admitted robbing and abusing the body.
Police gave him a contact number for the detective in charge of the case.
Bizarre Harassment Case
A man reported a bizarre case of harassment at 2:52 pm. He told police he and two other people received a series of hand-written letters from an anonymous person trashing him. The man said the letters bear a West Virginia postmark. He’s received the letters for the past five years.
He said he didn’t think too much about it until he got a Facebook message from a woman angry about messages he allegedly sent her daughter on Facebook Messenger. He claimed he didn’t send any messages and is concerned The man feared the message may have come from the person targeting him.
Police told him while the activity is alarming, it isn’t necessarily a crime.