An off-duty NYPD sergeant was involved in a fatal crash last night after driving the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway. Tiffany Howell, 47, a member of the NYPD’s Crime Control Strategies unit, was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes when her vehicle collided with another car in Mount Pleasant at approximately 11:39 p.m., according to Gothamist. The other driver, identified as 61-year-old Manuel Boitel of Peekskill, was transported to Westchester Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Howell, who has served with the NYPD since 2008, was reportedly returning home from work at the time of the crash. State police are investigating her blood-alcohol level as part of the ongoing inquiry. Howell has been placed on modified duty pending the outcome of the investigation and could face suspension under NYPD policy if she is arrested.
CBS News first reported details of the incident, stating that Howell sustained injuries believed to be non-life-threatening. No additional information has been released regarding the specific nature of her injuries or her current condition.
The New York Attorney General’s Office has been notified of the crash, as required by state law when an officer is involved in a death. A spokesperson for the Sergeants Benevolent Association declined to comment but noted that Howell would be required to retain her own legal counsel if she were arrested.
