A 43-year-old Schenectady man allegedly rear-ended another car while changing lanes on Route 9 in Malta Monday afternoon, then left the scene — only for investigators to later discover he had 43 active license suspensions stacked up across 10 separate dates. Thomas Loehr now faces charges stemming from the crash.
According to CBS6 Albany, Loehr hit the back of another car on Route 9 while trying to change lanes Monday afternoon. No one was hurt in the collision, the station reported. As reported by Daily Voice, Loehr had been driving a 2017 Mazda northbound through Malta when he struck a 2022 Ford from behind around 1:15 p.m.
Rather than stick around, authorities say Loehr fled the crash scene, prompting the other driver to call police. That decision to drive off turned out to compound his legal troubles considerably once investigators started digging into his record.
A Staggering Suspension History Surfaces
When investigators ran Loehr's license, they found a number that's hard to ignore: 43 active suspensions spread across 10 separate dates, according to WNYT. The outlet's report indicates the suspensions stemmed from Loehr repeatedly failing to answer summonses.
Investigators ultimately arrested Loehr in connection with the crash. He was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, and moving from lane unsafely, per the same account from CBS6 Albany. Daily Voice's reporting adds that the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office attributed the felony unlicensed operation charge and accompanying traffic violations to its own investigation.
Released Without Bail, For Now
WNYT reported that Loehr was arraigned and released on his own recognizance pending further proceedings. Daily Voice reported that the arraignment took place in Malta Town Court. The sheriff's office said the charges are not eligible for bail under New York state law, according to CBS6 Albany's coverage, which helps explain why Loehr walked out of arraignment without posting anything despite the lengthy list of alleged violations trailing him.
The case now moves forward with Loehr facing felony-level unlicensed operation charges stemming from a crash that left no one physically hurt but added yet another entry to an already crowded record.
