Kevin Richmond, 44, of Elmsford, Westchester County, was arraigned in Orange County Court on charges of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree and two counts of misdemeanor Driving While Intoxicated. The indictment alleges that on July 27, 2023, Richmond drove his personal vehicle while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content of at least 0.08% and caused the death of Nidia Nieves. If convicted on the top count, Richmond faces a maximum sentence of two and one-third to seven years in prison.
According to the indictment, Richmond collided with a motorcycle driven by Nieves shortly after midnight while she was traveling northbound on I-87 in Cornwall, Orange County. Nieves was thrown from the motorcycle, suffered traumatic injuries, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Richmond was off-duty at the time of the fatal crash and allegedly intoxicated.
Judge Craig Brown continued bail at a $40,000 bond with a $20,000 cash alternative during Richmond's arraignment. Richmond is scheduled to return to court on May 1, 2026. The former officer was initially arrested and arraigned on the same charges in June 2025 at Newburgh City Court, where he posted $20,000 cash bail.
The case was investigated by the Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation, which is required under New York Executive Law Section 70-b to assess every incident where a police officer or peace officer may have caused someone's death, whether on-duty or off-duty. OSI conducts full investigations when its assessment indicates an officer caused a death, regardless of whether the decedent was armed, unarmed, in custody, or incarcerated.
The prosecution represents the Attorney General's ongoing use of special investigative authority over police-involved fatalities, a jurisdiction that has grown in prominence as states seek independent oversight of law enforcement conduct. While this case involves off-duty conduct, it demonstrates the broad scope of OSI's mandate to investigate any death potentially caused by police officers.