‘Drugged Driving’ Kills New York Doctor In Hudson Valley

A Hudson Valley woman is heading to prison for a "drugged driving" fatal accident that claimed the life of a local doctor.

On Tuesday, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced a Newburgh woman was sentenced for vehicular manslaughter. The accident killed a New York doctor.

Newburgh, New York Woman Pleads Guilty To Vehicular Manslaughter

Ezzial Williams, 38, of Newburgh, was sentenced in Orange County Court to 3.5 to 7 years in prison. She pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in February.

The sentence is the maximum permitted under law, officials say.

“This case is another example of the horrifying outcomes we often see when combining drugs and driving,” Hoovler said. “We lost an innocent member of our community through this defendant’s selfish and tragic choices. Drugged driving is a choice, not an accident. I hope that the prison sentence imposed in this case serves to deter others from making such a dangerous decision. I offer my condolences to the grieving family of the victim in this case.”

New York Doctor Killed in Head-On Cornwall Crash

Williams crossed the double yellow line on Route 32 in Cornwall in October 2021 and crashed into another car, killing a local vascular surgeon.

John C. Hordines Jr., 54, of New Windsor was pronounced deceased.

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Newburgh Woman Was Speeding, On Drugs

Before driving, Williams had smoked cocaine, some of which was recovered from a crack pipe found in her belongings after the crash, officials say. Williams was also speeding on Route 32 in the Town of Cornwall.

“Drugged driving is a deadly choice that leads to terrible outcomes,” Hoovler said. "Incidents such as this one are not accidents, they are serious crimes and perpetrators need to be held accountable."

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Williams admitted she was impaired by the consumption of cocaine at the time of the collision, was speeding and crossed over the double yellow line, officials say.