An off-duty New York Police Department sergeant has been indicted in the death of an Upper East Side doorman after prosecutors say she drove the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway and slammed head-on into his car. The state attorney general’s office brought the charges on Monday, wrapping up an investigation into the Jan. 22 crash that killed 61-year-old Manuel Boitel and reigniting demands for answers from his family and neighbors on the Upper East Side.
State police: wrong-way crash on the Taconic
According to New York State Police, the collision happened around 11:39 p.m. on Jan. 22 near mile marker 3.7 in Mount Pleasant. Investigators say a 2021 Infiniti driven by 47-year-old Tiffany P. Howell was heading south in the northbound lanes when it struck a 2024 Toyota head-on. Boitel was rushed to Westchester Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead; Howell suffered non-life-threatening injuries, state police reported.
Family and co-workers demand answers
Boitel’s relatives and colleagues describe him as the steady presence at his Upper East Side building, the kind of doorman who knew everyone’s name and routine. They say he was also the primary breadwinner for his household, and his family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs and day-to-day expenses in the wake of his sudden death. Union leaders and neighbors have voiced grief and frustration, calling for a full accounting as investigators comb through footage and records from the night of the crash, according to East Side Feed.
Prosecutors file charges
The state attorney general’s office has charged Howell with aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of vehicular manslaughter, according to The New York Times. Prosecutors told the court they have video showing Howell consuming multiple drinks earlier that evening and said a toxicology test put her blood-alcohol concentration at 0.26 percent. Howell pleaded not guilty at her arraignment, and a judge set bail at $100,000 cash, court filings and news reports state.
NYPD response and oversight
The NYPD has placed Howell on modified duty and stripped her of her badge and firearm while the attorney general’s Office of Special Investigation conducts its review, according to ABC7. That review is automatically triggered when a police officer may have caused a death. Investigators say prosecutors will steer the criminal case while agencies gather forensic evidence and witness statements.
What the charges carry
If Howell is convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide, she faces a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, prosecutors say. The additional manslaughter counts also carry significant potential penalties under New York law, and legal experts note that the outcome will likely turn on forensic evidence, toxicology results and witness testimony, according to reporting by The New York Times.
What comes next
The attorney general’s Office of Special Investigation will continue its probe as pretrial motions are argued and the court schedules future appearances. Investigators are asking anyone who saw the crash or has relevant information to contact the New York State Police Hawthorne Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
