Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced on Friday, August 9th that an indictment was unsealed in Niagara County Court charging Barinder Singh, age 38, with Assault in the First Degree.
Singh is accused of seriously injuring a Niagara Falls Woman by dousing her with flammable liquid and setting her on fire. Singh was picked up in the Falls on an indictment warrant yesterday afternoon and arraigned by County Court Jude John Ottaviano late this morning. Judge Ottaviano set bail at $100,000 cash; $200,000 bail bond.
Seaman stated: “My office expedited the Grand Jury presentation in this case. Given the extremely violent nature of the crime and the severe injuries to the victim I felt it was necessary to get the case indicted immediately and ask a County Court Judge to revisit the defendant’s release status. That was done today, and we again asked that the defendant be remanded pending trial. I hope that the bail that was set will be sufficient.”
On Thursday, Singh was taken into custody on an indictment warrant, as confirmed by Niagara County Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti. The sheriff's office has listed Singh as an inmate at the county jail.
Singh's initial arrest took place on Monday when he was charged with first-degree assault for the attack on a 48-year-old woman near his food truck at Eighth and Niagara streets on Sunday morning. However, Singh was released under the supervision of the Niagara County Probation Department by Niagara Falls City Court Judge Diane Vitello on Tuesday. This decision sparked controversy as Singh was released without bail despite a request from Niagara County prosecutors to hold him without bail.
According to a police report, the victim provided a harrowing account of the attack and identified Singh as her assailant. Court documents revealed that videos retrieved from Singh's cellphone showed the severely burned woman and the food truck owner threatening her and accusing her of theft.
Two videos, one before and one after the attack, depicted Singh pouring a flammable substance on the victim and setting her head and other parts of her body on fire. The victim, who suffered third-degree burns, including burns to her head, arms, and body, remains in critical condition at Erie County Medical Center.
City officials announced Singh's arrest in a news release, stating that police responded to the area of Seventh and Niagara streets early Sunday morning. Singh was brought to the victim's location where she positively identified him as her attacker. It was reported that Singh's mother extinguished the fire on the victim's body.
No further information is available at this time - Bail Set at $100,000 Cash for Niagara Falls Man Who Set Woman on Fire.