NYPD sergeant involved in wrong-way crash that killed Upper East Side doorman applies for retirement.

A sergeant with the New York Police Department (NYPD) has submitted her retirement papers in the aftermath of a tragic accident that resulted in the death of a Manhattan doorman. Sergeant Tiffany Howell, 47, is alleged to have been driving the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway in Westchester County when she struck another vehicle, leading to the fatal incident. Howell applied for a vested separation retirement with the NYPD pension fund, as confirmed by internal documents obtained by Media News Source.

The collision occurred on January 22, 2026, around 11:40 PM, when Howell was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of the parkway. She collided head-on with 61-year-old Manuel Boitel, who was returning home from his job at the luxury St. Tropez condominium building on East 64th Street. Despite immediate medical attention and a rush to Westchester Medical Center, Boitel succumbed to his injuries.

Prior to the accident, Howell attended a cigar social event at Mom’s Cigar Warehouse in Scarsdale, New York. The gathering was characterized by an open bar and a buffet-style dinner, and was attended by other members of the NYPD’s Holy Name Society, of which Howell is a part. The event took place approximately 10 miles from the site of the crash.

While she has not been charged in relation to the incident, law enforcement is awaiting the results of toxicology tests to ascertain whether impairment was a factor in the accident. Both the New York State Police and the state Attorney General’s office are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. An inquiry into updates from the Attorney General’s office and Howell’s attorney was not promptly answered.

As a member of the NYPD with 18 years of service, Howell was most recently assigned to the Juvenile Strategies Unit within the Office of Crime Control Strategies. Following the crash, she was stripped of her firearm and badge and placed on modified assignment. Howell is expected to retire late February 2026, despite having two more years remaining until she qualifies for her full pension.

Anyone with relevant information regarding the crash is encouraged to reach out to the New York State Police Hawthorne Bureau of Criminal Investigation at (914) 742-6057. The legal and social ramifications of the incident continue to develop as the investigation unfolds.