Portsmouth Police Log: Vehicle Fire, Foot Chase, Hazardous Spill

PORTSMOUTH, NH — The following items were selected from the Portsmouth police log for the time period of Thursday, June 20, to Sunday, June 23. Arrests do not indicate guilt. The names of any minors have been omitted.

Thursday, June 20

8:59 a.m. — A man near the railroad tracks off Bartlett Street extinguishes his camp fire and is served a no-trespass notice.

12:02 p.m. — Walmart reports shoplifting in progress, stating a man has a TV, headphones and other electronics in his cart. William D. Valway, 22, of Portsmouth, is charged with willful concealment.

4:39 p.m. — Ryan Scott Amaral, 29, of Portsmouth, is arrested on a bench warrant.

5:33 p.m. — A towing company is called after a rollover vehicle accident on the Spaulding Turnpike southbound near the traffic circle.

9:13 p.m. — A man wanted by Rye police in connection with two burglaries and an attempted carjacking might be on a bicycle on Lafayette Road near Lang Road, a caller reports. Police cannot locate him at this time.

Friday, June 21

8:13 a.m. — National Wrecker is towing a Waste Management truck as the hydraulic line on the truck breaks and spills onto Market Street, causing a hazard. Police temporarily close off Market Street between Deer and Hanover streets.

8:34 a.m. — Stolen items are recovered after a theft at a Lafayette Road store.

8:47 a.m. — The Fire Department and police are on scene at a vehicle fire in a Banfield Road parking lot.

9:42 a.m. — Extra patrols are requested on Lafayette Road when a business owner reports loud noise from trucks using engine breaks coming off the turnpike.

11:44 a.m. — A vehicle towing a boat strikes a parked car on Court Street and reportedly drives away, but then returns.

1:33 p.m. — A group of people fighting in the woods is reported between Greenleaf Woods Drive and the Mobil station. A second person calls 911, also reporting a fight. One man in the group takes off when police arrive. Police detain two people who are later released. A third potential suspect is on the marsh and police do not reach him; his only charge would be resisting. An officer then reports a potential fourth suspect, who is shirtless. The property owner does not want a no-trespass order at this time. Police document the incident for suspicious activity.

2:30 p.m. — A woman flags down an officer after a vehicle runs over her foot on Portwalk Place. EMS arrives, she is not injured.

2:33 p.m. — Hospital security on Borthwick Avenue request an officer to check a patient's bag for apparent contraband. A pipe and tin foil are found. Staff plan to dispose of the tobacco pipe and the empty zip lock bag.

2:57 p.m. — A piece of construction equipment is tagged on Maplewood Avenue, a caller states.

3:15 p.m. — One vehicle's air bags deploy in a two-vehicle collision on Woodbury Avenue. No injuries. Both vehicles are towed.

4 p.m. — On Greenleaf Woods Drive, a man reportedly sits near the Seacoast Sports Club entrance blocking traffic, throwing flower petals while setting up a picnic. Police do not find any traffic issues, but the man is moved along.

11:36 p.m. — A highly intoxicated woman is transported by ambulance to a hospital from a basement on Market Street.

11:56 p.m. — A police officer reports "something happening" at the Gas Light, everything is chaotic. The situation later calms down. Police take down a simple assault report.

Saturday, June 22

1:30 a.m. — Three people are wrestling in the middle of Fleet Street. An Uber driver picks them up.

4:42 a.m. — One woman and two men are on a bench near Deer and High streets, taking pictures of the sunrise. The woman denies taking off her shirt.

7:32 a.m. — More traffic enforcement is requested on Jones Avenue in light of drivers apparently speeding to get to work.

8:59 a.m. — A caller reports two young men in a neighbor's house on Suzanne Drive. Police find a broken window on a door, there was forced entry into the breezeway. Officers enter the home and find 24-year-old Stephen D. Mercier Jr. of Farmington in the basement. He is charged with criminal trespass. Nicole Viel, 26, of Rochester, is then also arrested on a criminal trespass charge. The homeowner is not home at this time after being arrested in Epping the previous day.

1:40 p.m. — One passenger complains of neck pain after a two-car accident on Ocean Road near Lafayette Road. Fire officials determine no injuries are involved, it is a minor accident with no damage.

7:56 p.m. — Someone tells police that a man in a Durgin Lane parking lot is wondering around hopping and skipping, appearing to be high. Police identify the man as Kenneth C. Lambert, 38, of Rochester, and arrest him on a bench warrant. A woman who was with him, 28-year-old Crystal Lambert of Rochester, who also has a bench warrant, is then located by police near Bed, Bath and Beyond. She reportedly walked out of the store with merchandise she did not pay for. Police find she has two photo printers in her bag and she tells police she took them from Kohl's in Newington earlier. Crystal Lambert is arrested on a bench warrant and charges of theft and two counts of drug possession. Newington police are notified.

11:32 p.m. — Matthew A. LaBerge, 34, of Rochester, comes into the police station to bail out two people but is arrested himself on a warrant from the Rochester Police Department on an unsworn falsification charge.

11:40 p.m. — A group of kids loudly plays basketball on Gosling Road.

11:59 p.m. — On Market Street, police tell a wedding party to keep the noise down.

Sunday, June 23

12:23 a.m. — A muscular man is walking around Daniel Street punching people, a caller states.

12:35 a.m. — A man who is walking on Spaulding Turnpike northbound gets a courtesy ride from police away from the highway.

1:40 a.m. — A man who was reportedly urinating in public in Market Square takes off on police near Gilley's Diner. A foot pursuit by police is unsuccessful.

3:28 a.m. — A man laying on the ground in front of a Market Street jewelry store begins to wake up. Fire officials transport him to a hospital.

8:22 a.m. — Dorothy Jean Coats, 75, of Portsmouth, turns herself in on a theft of lost or mislaid property warrant.

2:21 p.m. — Noise from motorcycles is reported on Miller Avenue.

5:50 p.m. — A caller reports that someone wrote "hatred" on the side of her newly painted trim on Court Street.

6:32 p.m. — A 26-year-old Concord man is involuntarily admitted to the hospital.

9:13 p.m. — Motorcycles are reportedly revving on Commerce Way.

10:13 p.m. — Police observe graffiti in the Four Tree Island area.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Information for this article was supplied by the Portsmouth Police Department. New Hampshire Patch follows a name removal policy for those listed in its published police reports.