Wrong Way Driver: Former Cop Sentenced to Prison
A former NYPD sergeant received a four to 12 year prison term for killing a motorist while driving northbound lanes in reverse.
By Carmen Wojcik ·
Tiffany Howell, a former New York City police sergeant, will spend the next four to 12 years in prison for killing Manuel Boitel. Howell was off duty when she struck Boitel’s vehicle head-on on the Taconic State Parkway in Westchester County. The collision occurred because she was traveling south in the northbound lanes while intoxicated.
The incident happened at 11:37 p.m. on January 22, 2026. Howell was driving at a speed exceeding 50 mph. Her blood alcohol content measured at least 0.18 at the time of the crash. Boitel was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
The legal process began in August 2026 when Howell entered a guilty plea. She accepted responsibility for Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and Manslaughter in the Second Degree. Judge Anne B. Bianchi presided over the hearing in Westchester County Court. The charges carried classifications of class B and class C felonies, respectively.
State Attorney General Letitia James announced the sentencing on October 28, 2026. Howell received concurrent prison sentences for the two counts. As part of the penalty, her driver’s license has been revoked. She also waived her right to appeal the decision.
The case falls under New York State Executive Law Section 70-b. This statute requires the Office of Special Investigations to review every incident where a police or peace officer may cause a death. The law applies whether the officer is on or off duty and regardless of the victim’s custody status. OSI conducts a full investigation if its initial assessment indicates an officer caused the fatality.
Howell, 48, resides in Warwick, Orange County. She previously served as a sergeant with the NYPD. The sentencing concludes the state’s criminal prosecution following the fatal crash on the parkway.
