NYPD Officer Charged With UES Doorman's Death In Wrong-Way Crash

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A New York City police officer has been charged with the death of an Upper East Side doorman in a wrong-way crash on Monday, New York State Attorney General Letitia James said.

NYPD Sergeant Tiffany Howell, 47, of Warwick in Orange County, was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular manslaughter in the first degree and two counts of vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Prosecutors allege that around 11:37 p.m. on Jan. 22, Howell was driving her personal vehicle southbound in the northbound lanes of the Taconic State Parkway in Westchester County at more than 50 miles per hour when she crashed head-on into a car driven by 61-year-old Manuel Boitel.

Boitel was a beloved doorman at 340 E 64th St., near First Avenue, on the Upper East Side.

James said Howell was intoxicated at the time of the crash. Boitel was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight, James said.

Howell was arraigned Monday in Westchester County Court before Judge George Fufidio, who set bail at a $250,000 bond, a $500,000 partially secured bond, or a $100,000 cash alternative. She is due back in court March 18 before Judge Anne B. Bianchi, James said.

If convicted on the top charge of aggravated vehicular homicide, Howell faces a maximum sentence of eight and one-third to 25 years in prison, James said.

This is a developing story and will be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.