For Immediate Release

Monday, Dec. 29, 2014

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 781-791-7627 or 781-533-9398

**JOINT PRESS RELEASE**

Burlington and Bedford Police Arrest Man After Pursuit With Stolen Motor Vehicle

BEDFORD — Burlington Police Chief Michael R. Kent and Bedford Police Chief Robert Bongiorno report that a man has been arrested after he led police on a pursuit with a stolen vehicle through the two communities.

WILLIAM MATTHEW TIGHE, AGE 29, OF TEWKSBURY, was arrested and charged with:

• Receiving Stolen Property (Motor Vehicle)
• Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License
• Failure to Stop for Police
• Use of a Motor Vehicle without Authority
• Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Motor Vehicle)
• Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
• Speeding, Marked Lanes Violation, and Fail to Stop for Signal

At 10:07 a.m., a member of the Burlington Police Department was patrolling the area of Winn Street near Cambridge Street when he observed a red Honda Civic travelling westbound on Winn Street.  The officer followed the vehicle Southbound on Cambridge Street (Rt. 3A.)  A check of the motor vehicle’s registration revealed that the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the morning out of Lowell.

Burlington Police Officers attempted to stop the vehicle on Cambridge Street near the intersection of the Burlington Mall Road.  As two officers approached the suspect vehicle, the operator put the vehicle in reverse, drove over a sidewalk striking the curb causing the right front tire to blow out. The vehicle then subsequently sped off onto Rt. 128 Southbound.

Two additional marked Burlington Police cruisers proceeded after the vehicle in an attempt to stop it. The vehicle was able to exit Rt. 128 South and proceed onto Rt. 3 North.  At this point, the vehicle’s speeds had slowed down, but the driver refused to stop.

The vehicle entered Bedford and continued on Burlington Road back toward the Burlington line before striking a Burlington Police cruiser.

Members of the Bedford Police Department responded to assist. TIGHE was arrested and then complained of minor injuries. He was transported by the Bedford Fire Department to Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington and released later this afternoon.

TIGHE allegedly stole the vehicle out of Lowell. He also had outstanding arrest warrants  stemming from previous incidents involving the Tewksbury and Billerica Police Departments.

The investigation is a joint effort between the Burlington Police Department and the Bedford Police Department.

“This was an outstanding effort by Burlington and Bedford police officers to carefully pursue and capture a fleeing felon without any innocent people getting harmed,” Chief Kent said. “I am very proud of the hard work put in today.”

“What we saw today was another example of the unprecedented level of cooperation and teamwork that exists among municipal police departments in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” Chief Bongiorno said. “Our officers worked together expertly and took a wanted felon off the streets.”

Additional Charges may be pending based upon the completion of the investigation.

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