State Police arrest Schenectady man following brief pursuit with children in the vehicle

On May 29, 2026, State Police of Latham arrested Robert J. Tighe, 36, of Schenectady, NY, for: 

• Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle, 3rd, a class “A” misdemeanor 
• Three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class “A” misdemeanor
• Numerous vehicle and traffic law violations

On May 29, 2026, at about 8:47 a.m., a State Police Investigator observed a westbound SUV driven by Tighe illegally overtaking multiple vehicles on the left shoulder of Alternate State Route 7 in Colonie, as traffic was congested due to an ongoing collision investigation.  The investigator activated their emergency lights and stopped the vehicle. During the interview, Tighe reportedly admitted to not possessing a valid driver’s license and then sped away from the stop on the left shoulder, at an unsafe speed while recklessly overtaking numerous vehicles. The Investigator initiated a vehicle pursuit which ended when a guiderail prevented Tighe from passing stopped traffic, and he was taken into custody. Three children under the age of 16 were located in the vehicle at the time and were turned over to a family member.   

Tighe was arrested and transported to SP Latham for processing. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Colonie Town Court on June 10, 2026, and released.