It was just before midnight on Thursday when the quiet of the Taconic State Parkway in Mount Pleasant was shattered by a horrific wrong‑way crash. Around 11:39 p.m., state police say a 2021 Infiniti driven by 47‑year‑old Tiffany P. Howell of Warwick was traveling south in the northbound lanes when it collided head‑on with a 2024 Toyota driven by 61‑year‑old Manuel Boitel of Peekskill.
Boitel, the Toyota’s driver, was rushed to Westchester Medical Center after the impact. Emergency responders worked quickly, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Howell was also taken to the same medical center with injuries that authorities describe as non‑life‑threatening.
What makes this crash especially striking to local residents is Howell’s background. She’s a member of the New York City Police Department and was off duty at the time of the collision. Because an off‑duty law enforcement officer was involved in a traffic death, state law required officials to notify the New York State Attorney General’s Office as the investigation began.
Troopers from the Hawthorne barracks were first on the scene, responding to calls about a vehicle going the wrong way on the northbound Taconic near mile marker 3.7. Early reports from the New York State Police detail a routine investigation into how and why Howell’s vehicle ended up traveling against traffic before the deadly impact.
Right now, investigators are carefully gathering evidence and speaking with anyone who might have seen the moments leading up to the crash. Officials have urged witnesses to contact the New York State Police Hawthorne Bureau of Criminal Investigation, saying that every bit of information could help clarify what happened that night.
For residents who travel the Taconic often, news of this crash is a stark reminder of how swiftly a routine drive home can turn tragic. Community members have been sharing their shock and grief, noting that wrong‑way crashes on high‑speed roads like this one are rare but deadly when they occur.
As the investigation continues, authorities say they will release more details when they are confirmed. Right now, the focus remains on understanding the sequence of events that led to this collision and honoring the life of the man who lost his in a sudden and senseless tragedy.
