New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the indictment, arrest, and arraignment of Tiffany Howell, a 47-year-old NYPD sergeant from Warwick, Orange County. Howell faces charges including Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (class B Felony), Manslaughter in the Second Degree (class C Felony), Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree (class C Felony), and two counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (class D Felony). The indictment alleges that on January 22, 2026, Howell was driving her personal vehicle while intoxicated and caused the death of Manuel Boitel. At the time of the incident, Howell was off-duty.
Howell was arraigned by Judge George Fufidio at Westchester County Court. Bail was set at a $250,000 bond or a $500,000 partially secured bond with a $100,000 cash alternative. She is scheduled to appear again in court on March 18 before Judge Anne B. Bianchi. If convicted on the top count, Howell could face between eight and one-third to 25 years in prison.
Attorney General James stated that at 11:37 p.m. on January 22 in Westchester County, Sergeant Howell drove southbound in the northbound lanes of the Taconic State Parkway at speeds exceeding 50 mph and collided head-on with Mr. Boitel’s car. “Sergeant Howell was intoxicated at the time,” according to Attorney General James. Mr. Boitel was transported to a local hospital where he died shortly after midnight.
The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) within the New York Attorney General’s office reviews every incident where a police or peace officer may have caused someone’s death through action or omission. This assessment applies whether officers are on- or off-duty and regardless of whether the deceased person is armed or unarmed or in custody. If OSI determines an officer caused a death, it conducts a full investigation.
“Criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until found guilty at trial or by plea.”
The New York Attorney General’s office operates as a public law enforcement and legal advocacy agency for New York (official website). The office promotes social justice and community well-being through civil rights enforcement and consumer advocacy (official website). It also protects New Yorkers by ensuring public safety, defending civil rights, upholding consumer protections, preserving the environment (official website), and providing services such as consumer fraud investigations and tenant dispute mediation (official website). Letitia James leads this agency (official website), which operates regional offices across New York State to address local legal issues (official website).
