Note: This story has been updated.

PORTSMOUTH — A 20-year-old Portsmouth man died early Tuesday evening after the vehicle he was driving hit a tree on Turnpike Avenue, police said.

Police hadn't released the name of the deceased as of Wednesday morning, but friends identified him as Raymond Oliver, a 2014 graduate of Portsmouth High School.

According to Deputy Police Chief Brian Peters, at 6:38 p.m. Portsmouth Police responded to a motor vehicle accident on Turnpike Avenue at Gorton Street.

Police said the vehicle had been heading south on Turnpike Avenue when it crossed the double yellow lines and collided with a tree on the opposite side of the roadway.

According to Deputy Fire Chief Michael O’Brien, a fire department ambulance staffed by Lt. C.J. Bowley and firefighter Brendan Phelan was in the area at the time of the crash and were on scene in less than a minute and before any 911 calls came in.

On arrival, the crew found a single-car accident with an unresponsive male heavily trapped in the driver’s seat,” Deputy O’Brien said in a prepared statement. “The vehicle had struck a tree and had sustained substantial damage. The ambulance crew radioed back to the fire department requesting additional assistance and began advanced life support treatment on the patient.”

Additional rescue personnel soon arrived on the scene and the driver was extricated and transported from the scene 19 minutes after the initial arrival of first responders, Deputy O’Brien said, adding that a call for a medical helicopter was canceled because of the patient’s condition and the quick extrication.

The patient was taken to St. Anne’s Hospital as resuscitative efforts continued, and arrived at the hospital nine minutes later. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, Deputy Peters said.

The accident remains under investigation by the Portsmouth Police accident reconstruction unit.

Remembered by friends

Friends of Mr. Oliver flooded his Facebook page with remembrances and condolences to the family within hours after the accident. They recalled his contagious smile, competitiveness, his love for sports and his unselfish attitude.

“You are the toughest kid I know, you had the weight of the world on your shoulders but never did you show any emotion except for pure happiness,” wrote one friend. “You always put others before yourself and I respected you so much for that.”

Wrote another: “I am not sure I have ever met someone as competitive and passionate as Ray was. Whether it was pickup basketball at the park or a game of snow football you always wanted him on your side.”