Suspect Indicted for Role in Fatal Accident in Orange County
One individual is now behind bars after being indicted for their role in fatal motor vehicle accident that occurred earlier in 2025. The individual was charged with various crimes stemming from the incident and is currently being held on bail.
Fatal Accident in Newburgh
The fatal accident in question originally occurred back in the Spring of 2025. According to the now updated press release from the New York State Police, during the early morning hours of April 25, 2025, NYSP Troopers patrolling on Route 9W in the town of Newburgh attempted to stop a 2015 GMC Sierra pickup truck after observing vehicle and traffic violations.
The driver did not comply with Troopers attempts to pullover the vehicle, and this would then begin a high speed police pursuit. The pursuit began on route 9W, extended to State Route 32, and ended westbound on I-84. As speeds continued to accelerate and became more dangerous, Troopers optioned to discontinue the pursuit.
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A short time after the pursuit was stopped by Troopers, a new call had come in that the same vehicle they were just pursuing, crashed off of the roadway. The preliminary investigation determined that the suspect vehicle collided with a tractor (without a trailer), the driver lost control of the pickup and crashed.
At he time of the crash, their were two individuals in the vehicle. The driver was identified as 25-year old, Liam F. McNichol, of Port Jervis, and the passenger was identified as 25-year old Phelipe Figueroa, of Otisville, NY. Both individuals were transported to St. Luke's Hospital in Newburgh.
McNichol was treated for minor injuries suffered in the crash, however the same could not be said for Figueroa. Figueroa was later pronounced deceased at the hospital from the injuries he had suffered.
Suspect Indictment
This all now leads to just recently when McNichol was finally indicted for his role in the accident. An Orange County Grand Jury, indicted McNichol on December 19, 2025 McNichol turned himself in on December 23, 2025, at which time he was arrested and charged with the following offenses:
- Three counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, Class D Felony
- Vehicular Manslaughter in the 1st Degree, .18 of 1% or more Alcohol in Blood, Class C Felony
- Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, .18 of 1% or more Alcohol in Blood, Class B Felony
- Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, Recklessly Cause Death, Class C Felony
- Assault in the 1st Degree, Cause Serious Physical Injury During a Felony, Class B Felony
- Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle in the 1st Degree, Causing a Person’s Death, Class D Felony
McNichol was arraigned on December 23, 2025, 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.