MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Surveillance video showed the police, fire and EMS response shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday at the southbound No. 1 train station at Houston Varick Street in Manhattan.
A bare-chested man sat at the back of an ambulance after he was set on fire in what police say was a random attack.
The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Nile Taylor, was accused of igniting a cup filled with some type of alcohol and throwing it – unprovoked – at the man and his female companion, who he tried to shield from the flames.
The criminal complaint details the extent of the injuries. The male victim suffered severe burns to his face, ear, neck, arm, and upper chest. His companion suffered burns to her chest.
Police said as Taylor ran off, he stole a woman’s iPhone. But officers were able to track that phone and arrested him a few blocks away.
Once in custody, detectives also charged Taylor with allegedly trying to set fire to three different subway riders back in February, farther north, at the No. 1 train station in Chelsea.
“This is a strong case in that the defendant was arrested shortly after the incident on Saturday afternoon, and he was in possession of multiple lighters and a bottle containing rubbing alcohol. The defendant then identified himself in the Feb. 5 surveillance video and also admitted to throwing the burning liquid on the victims on Saturday afternoon,” prosecutors told the court as part of their request to have bail set.
Taylor was arraigned this morning in Manhattan Criminal Court. Bail was set at $250k cash or $500k bond.
He’s now linked to both incidents and charged with two counts of second-degree assault from this weekend’s incident and three counts of second-degree menacing from the February incident.
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