Portsmouth Woman Receives Rental Car After City Truck Crash

Telaza Mitchell's two parked vehicles were totaled in the incident, but the city's insurance is covering the damages.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:07pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a shattered car mirror reflecting a faint red light, conceptually illustrating the aftermath of a city vehicle crashing into a resident's parked trucks.A shattered car mirror reflects the aftermath of a city vehicle crashing into a resident's parked trucks, exposing the gritty reality of municipal accountability.Chesapeake Today

A Portsmouth woman whose two parked trucks were destroyed when a city parks vehicle crashed into them on St. Patrick's Day has received a rental car from the city's insurance provider while the damages are being covered.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the importance of municipal accountability and the need for proper procedures and training to prevent such accidents, which can cause significant hardship for affected residents.

The details

According to the city's incident report, a Portsmouth Parks employee said a car was tailing him, and to avoid hitting the driver, he hit the back of one of Mitchell's trucks. One of the totaled trucks held deep sentimental value for Mitchell, as it was given to her by her father shortly before he passed away.

  • The crash happened on the morning of March 17 on Godwin Street in the Park View neighborhood.
  • Mitchell received the rental car on Monday, April 2.

The players

Telaza Mitchell

A Portsmouth resident whose two parked trucks were totaled in the incident.

Portsmouth Parks Department

The city department responsible for the employee involved in the crash.

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What they’re saying

“I got a rental and everything, so I'm grateful for that.”

— Telaza Mitchell

“Yes, my father gave me this vehicle, November 21, and he passed 3 weeks later. So this was near and dear to my heart. I kept it up. I just when I had this, I felt like I had a piece of him, but it's totaled.”

— Telaza Mitchell

What’s next

The city's insurance carrier is continuing to work with Mitchell's insurance company to resolve the damages.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of municipal accountability and the need for proper procedures and training to prevent such accidents, which can cause significant hardship for affected residents. The city's prompt response in providing a rental car and working with Mitchell's insurance is a positive step, but the loss of the sentimental vehicle is a reminder of the personal impact these incidents can have.