Police: Driver blames ‘black guy’ after SUV crashes into Portsmouth marsh

Posted 3/21/17

PORTSMOUTH — A 26-year-old Warren man charged with driving while intoxicated crashed his car in a marsh while fleeing police, then tried to blame the accident on a “black guy” …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Police: Driver blames ‘black guy’ after SUV crashes into Portsmouth marsh

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — A 26-year-old Warren man charged with driving while intoxicated crashed his car in a marsh while fleeing police, then tried to blame the accident on a “black guy” who had forced his way into the vehicle, police said.


For more Portsmouth Police news from this week, click here.


Around 4 a.m. on Sunday, March 19, police said they spotted an SUV traveling between 75 and 80 mph on West Main Road near Route 24 North, but the driver ignored commands to pull over. During the chase, the SUV was traveling on the wrong side of the road and ran several traffic lights, according to police. 

About 30 minutes later, police spotted the inoperable vehicle abandoned deep within the marsh area between Park Avenue and Norseman Drive. Many empty alcoholic beverages bottles were strewn throughout the vehicle, police said.

Police used infrared goggles to search the area and found Kurt E. Gensel, of 135 Water St., Warren, about 200 feet away, police said. 

He initially told police “a black guy” had jumped into the vehicle and forced him to drive, then ran into the marsh after the crash, according to police. Later, Mr. Gensel acknowledged he had been operating the vehicle, which was registered in his name, police said.

Besides the reckless driving and DWI charges, Mr. Gensel was cited for speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road, passing on the right, failure to obey a traffic light and failure to use a turn signal.

Portsmouth Police Department, police reports, arrests

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.