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Man charged with arson after allegedly throwing flammable liquid onto straphangers, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 27, 2024
Modified May 27, 2024
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José A. Alvarado Jr./Gothamist
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 27, 2024
Modified May 27, 2024
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A man accused of throwing flammable liquid onto Manhattan subway passengers in February was arrested over the weekend after allegedly doing it again, according to NYPD officials.
Nile Taylor, 49, was caught near Canal Street and Renwick Street in SoHo around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, after police said he threw burning liquid on a 23-year-old man who was riding a 1 train into the Houston Street station, the NYPD said.
The victim’s shirt was lit on fire, according to police, and his upper body was burned. He was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center in stable condition, authorities said.
Meanwhile, Taylor fled the station, allegedly stopping on the way to pick up a cellphone that a woman dropped near the turnstile, the NYPD said. Police officials said the phone helped them track Taylor to a nearby intersection.
He was charged with a slew of crimes, including assault, arson, reckless endangerment, petit larceny, criminal possession of a weapon and stolen property, police said.
Taylor was arraigned Monday in Manhattan Criminal Court, where he also faced charges on a similar incident from Feb. 5. Police said he threw a lit container of flammable liquid at a group of people standing on the southbound 1 train platform at the 28th Street station.
No one was hit, but fire spread on the ground as Taylor fled, according to court documents.
The judge on Monday granted prosecutors’ request for bail at $250,000 for the two cases, meaning that Taylor will stay in jail unless he can pay. He is due back in court on May 31.
NYPD officials said Taylor is currently homeless. His lawyer, Gretchen Reeser from the Legal Aid Society, was not immediately reachable for comment.
Taylor’s arrest Saturday came after police charged 65-year-old Jennifer Rochard with murder and arson in connection with the death of 70-year-old Vetus Roberts, who was found unconscious and unresponsive as a fire blazed in their Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn apartment, according to officials.
Rochard, reported to be Roberts’ live-in-girlfriend, allegedly used an accelerant to set fire to his mattress. He was pronounced dead at the scene, though it was not immediately clear if his death was the result of the fire or other injuries.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was working to determine Roberts’ official cause of death, as Rochard awaited arraignment in Brooklyn criminal court. Information for her lawyer was also not yet available.
This story has been updated.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
manhattan
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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