GOSHEN – A 38-year-old defendant pled guilty in Orange County Court on Tuesday to vehicular manslaughter in connection with the death of a local vascular surgeon.
Ezzial Williams of Newburgh, who identifies as a woman, entered her* plea as the trial was set to begin.
When sentenced in April, she is expected to be sentenced to 3 ½ years to seven years in state prison, the maximum allowable under the law.
Williams is alleged to have been driving over the speed limit on Route 32 in the Town of Cornwall on October 10, 2021 when she crossed the double yellow line and crashed into a vehicle driven by Dr. John Hordines, Jr.
Prior to driving, Williams had smoked cocaine, some of which was recovered from a crack pipe found in her belongings after the crash.
“Drugged driving is a deadly choice that leads to terrible outcomes,” said District Attorney David Hoovler. “We lost an innocent member of our community whose life was dedicated to helping others. Incidents such as this one are not accidents, they are serious crimes and perpetrators need to be held accountable,” he said.
A State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit investigated the circumstances of the crash and determined Dr. Hordines’ vehicle was in the proper lane of travel and that the crash was caused as a result of Williams’ impairment together with her speed and reckless driving by crossing over the double yellow line.
Williams admitted during the plea allocution that she was impaired by the consumption of cocaine at the time of the crash, was speeding and crossing into the opposite lane of travel recklessly causing the death of the doctor.
*Williams’ preferred pronounce is “she”
