GOSHEN – The State Police announced on Wednesday that a 25-year-old Port Jervis man has been arrested in connection with a deadly drunken driving crash in April in the Town of Newburgh.
Liam F. McNichol was indicted by an Orange County Grand Jury on Dec. 19 and turned himself in four days later. He was arrested and charged with several offenses, including vehicular manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, .18 of 1% or more alcohol in blood, aggravated vehicular homicide, .18 of 1% or more alcohol in blood, manslaughter, assault, and unlawful fleeing a police officer.
According to the State Police, at about 3:43 a.m. on April 25, troopers patrolling on Route 9W in the Town of Newburgh attempted to stop McNichol’s GMC Sierra pickup truck after observing vehicle and traffic violations. McNichol did not comply, and troopers initiated a pursuit, which traveled south on Route 9W to State Route 32 and then to I-84 westbound.
Troopers discontinued the pursuit because McNichol was allegedly travelling at dangerously high speeds. A short time later, troopers discovered that the vehicle had crashed off the shoulder of the roadway. The preliminary investigation determined that the suspect vehicle collided with a tractor (without a trailer), and McNichol lost control of the pickup and crashed.
The passenger in the suspect vehicle, Phelipe Figueroa, 25, of Otisville, NY, was transported to Montefiore St. Luke’s Hospital in Newburgh, where he died.
McNichol was arraigned on December 23 in Orange County Court and was remanded to the Orange County Jail. Bail was set at $250,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond, or $1,500,000 partially secured bond. McNichol is scheduled to return to Orange County Court on January 6, 2026.
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