Portsmouth police: Driver found dead in car that drove off Maplewood Avenue

PORTSMOUTH — A driver was found deceased in a car on Maplewood Avenue by city police Thursday afternoon following a report that a vehicle had driven off the road and into the front yard of a residence.

Deputy Chief Michael Maloney said Portsmout police received a call around 12:30 p.m. Thursday alerting them to the situation on the upper end of Maplewood Avenue. Upon arrival alongside the city fire department, authorities located a car in a home’s yard with the driver deceased. The identity of the person was not immediately released.

The operator was the sole occupant of the vehicle and nobody appeared to be inside the residence, Maloney said. The state medical examiner responded to investigate and determine the driver’s final manner and cause of death.

“At this point we’re unsure as to what happened,” Maloney stated.

Maloney added that the vehicle caused minor property damage to a stone wall outside the residence but that there were no injuries to anyone.

Posted to Twitter shortly before 1 p.m., city police said Maplewood Avenue between Woodbury Avenue and McGee Drive was closed due to an unspecified “emergency situation." Police later said there was no threat to the public as a result of the incident.

City police announced shortly before 4 p.m. that Maplewood Avenue had been cleared and was reopened to the public.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Driver dies and Portsmouth NH police shut down Maplewood Ave.