Port Jervis Man Indicted After High Speed Chase, Fatal Crash

A grand jury has returned an indictment charging 25 year old Liam McNichol of Port Jervis with multiple felonies following a high speed police chase that resulted in a fatal crash in the Town of Newburgh. Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced the arraignment on charges that include aggravated vehicular homicide, first degree vehicular manslaughter, three second degree counts of vehicular manslaughter, second degree manslaughter, first degree assault, and unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle first degree.

Court documents allege troopers from the New York State Police observed a vehicle driven by McNichol speeding on Route 9W at about 3:40 a.m. on April 25, and attempted to stop it. Rather than pull over, the vehicle is accused of entering Interstate 84 and accelerating to speeds of more than 110 miles per hour while attempting to drive between vehicles in each lane. The vehicle struck another car and rolled, ejecting a passenger who later died of injuries sustained in the crash. McNichol is accused of exiting the wreck and attempting to flee before being taken into custody.

Toxicology reported a blood alcohol content of 0.18 percent and the presence of drugs, according to court filings. At the arraignment McNichol was remanded to the Orange County Jail in lieu of $250,000 cash bail, or a fully secured bond of $1,000,000, or a partially secured bond of $1,500,000. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Julie Mohl and is set for a conference on January 6.

The indictment and the circumstances of the crash are likely to reverberate across local discussions about roadway safety enforcement, impaired driving prevention, and policies governing police pursuits. The high bail figures and the number of felony counts reflect the severity of the allegations and the community harm from a single early morning incident on two well traveled corridors. For residents who commute on Route 9W and Interstate 84, the case highlights risks posed by high speed and impaired driving and may prompt renewed attention from local officials and law enforcement on prevention and response strategies. The prosecution will develop through pretrial proceedings in Orange County Court in the weeks ahead.