Driver killed in crash in Portsmouth, N.H. after speeding away from officers, state police say

PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire — An investigation is underway into a crash that killed an unidentified driver in Portsmouth, state police said.

At approximately 4:59 p.m. Thursday, state police responded to Ocean Road in Portsmouth at the request of the Portsmouth Police Department for the report of a motor vehicle crash.

At approximately 4:47 p.m., deputies from the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office saw a gray Nissan Sentra with an expired inspection sticker and front-end damage on Route 101 in Hampton.

The Sentra continued traveling, getting onto Route 27, state police said. After attempting to stop the vehicle on Route 27, it fled from deputies and was last seen heading northbound on Route 1 in Hampton. Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office put out an alert for the vehicle to other local agencies.

Minutes later, an officer from the Greenland Police Department saw the vehicle on Post Road, state police said. The officer activated his emergency lights but due to the Sentra’s high rate of speed and erratic driving, the Greenland Police Officer lost sight of the vehicle on Post Road.

The vehicle took a right on Route 33 and then took a right onto Ocean Road, continuing at a high rate of speed until the driver lost control and went off of the right side of the roadway into the woods in the area of 424 Ocean Road in Portsmouth, state police said.

The driver of the Sentra was taken by ambulance to the Portsmouth Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His identity is being withheld pending positive identification.

No other vehicles or people were involved in the crash.

All aspects of this crash remain under investigation.

Anyone who may have witnesses the crash, or has any information related to the incident is asked to contact Trooper First Class Nathaniel Goodwin at (603) 545-4288 or Nathaniel.D.Goodwin@dos.nh.gov.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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