No one is above the law, and we thank all the men and women of New York State Police Troop K for doing their jobs.
Media reports state that Howell’s blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was allegedly .26, the source said. The legal limit is .08.
On March 2, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the indictment, arrest, and arraignment of Tiffany Howell, 47, of Warwick, Orange County, on the charges of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a class B Felony), Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a class C Felony), Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree (a class C Felony), and two counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a class D Felony). The indictment alleges that on January 22, 2026, Sergeant Howell drove her personal vehicle while intoxicated and in a manner that caused the death of Manuel Boitel. Sergeant Howell was off-duty at the time.
Howell was arraigned today by Judge George Fufido at Westchester County Court. Judge Fufido set bail at a $250,000 bond, or a $500,000 partially secured bond, with a $100,000 cash alternative. Sergeant Howell is due back in court on March 18 before Judge Anne B. Bianchi. The maximum sentence on the top count is eight and one-third to 25 years in prison.
Attorney General James alleges that at 11:37 p.m. on January 22, in Westchester County, 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 the car driven by Mr. Boitel, causing his death. Attorney General James alleges that Sergeant Howell was intoxicated at the time. Mr. Boitel was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
She was driving her Infiniti south in the northbound lanes of the Taconic State Parkway in Mount Pleasant when she slammed into Boitels Toyota about 11:40 p.m., authorities say.
Medics rushed Boitel to Westchester Medical Center but he couldnt be saved.
Boitel was returning home from his job as a doorman at Manhattans St. Tropez luxury condominium building on E. 64th St. near First Ave.
Howell had just left a Holy Smoke 2026 cigar social she helped organize at Moms Cigar Warehouse in Scarsdale. The social featured an open bar, buffet-style dinner and premium cigars. She was taken to the same hospital as Boitel but with non-life-threatening injuries.
Boitel had when he was younger talked of becoming a cop and was a big fan of law enforcement.
The irony is that he regularly donated to funds supporting police officers, as he always dreamed of becoming one himself, family members said of Boitel in a GoFundMe post.
Howell, suspended from NYPD, risks up to 25 years in prison if convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide.
In an exclusive that you can only find here at Yonkerstimes.com, we have been able to determine where Sgt. Howell got on the Taconic the wrong way.
The photo above shows the Northbound exit to the Taconic Parkway at Pleasantville Road. There is also a ramp for cars exiting northbound on the Taconic. Based on the road mile marker on the Taconic where the accident is alleged to have occurred, this is where Howell made the fatal mistake, and took the left ramp instead of the right ramp.
It appears that there was no exiting traffic when she got on the wrong way, because she traveled a bit (about a 1/4 mile) before striking.
The question that we have is how Howell got to that location on her way home from Scarsdale to her Dutchess County home.
Mom’s Cigar Warehouse is located on the Yonkers-Scarsdale border on Central Park Avenue. From there, Howell likely got on the Taconic northbound, but somehow ended up on Pleasantville Road in Pleasantville. She then attempted to get back on the Taconic, and ended the life of a hard working, family man from Peekskill.
A GoFundMe page set up for Boitel has raised $70,000. https://www.gofundme.com/f/54r6c-support-for-my-aunt-after-tragic-loss.
We have been following this case from Sal Greco, on X @TheSalGreco, and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@TheSalGrecoShow.
Greco has been calling for justice for the family of Boitel, and although it may have taken a while, justice was served.
Our question is, where were the friends of Sgt. Howell at this fundraiser and how could they let her drive home. With a BAC, three times the legal limit, she should have been forced to stay with a friend or get a hotel. We also don’t know if Howell refused a BAC on the scene. In that case, her BAC was taken at the hospital, where it was likely lower from when she took that fatal wrong turn.
Please, let this be a lesson for all, don’t drink and drive!
