Attorney General James Announces Sentencing of Former NYPD Sergeant for Manslaughter
Sergeant Tiffany Howell Was Off-Duty When She Struck Manuel Boitel’s Vehicle, Causing His Death
New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the sentencing of former New York City Police Department (NYPD) Sergeant Tiffany Howell, 48, of Warwick, Orange County, for causing the death of Manuel Boitel while driving the wrong direction on the Taconic State Parkway in Westchester County with a blood alcohol content of at least 0.18 on January 22, 2026. On August 19, 2026, Howell pleaded guilty to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a class B felony) and Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a class C felony) before Judge Anne B. Bianchi in Westchester County Court. Today, Howell was sentenced to concurrent sentences of four to 12 years in prison. Howell’s driver license has been revoked, and she has waived her right to appeal.
At 11:37 p.m. on January 22, Sergeant Howell was driving south in the northbound lanes of the Taconic State Parkway at more than 50 MPH when she crashed head-on into a car driven by Mr. Boitel, causing his death. Sergeant Howell had a blood alcohol content of at least 0.18 at the time. Mr. Boitel was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.