Man accused of beating Sikh man Jasmer Singh to death in New York road rage attack faces hate crime charges

Gilbert Augustin was arraigned on Tuesday on an indictment charging him with manslaughter and assault as hate crimes in the death of 66-year-old Jasmer Singh, whom he attacked after a fender bender in Kew Gardens in the neighbourhood of Queens, District Attorney Melinda Katz said.

During the dispute that preceded the fatal beating, Augustin is accused of repeatedly referring to Jasmer Singh as a “turban man”.

“This is a case of a fender bender immediately escalating to hateful language and then brutal, deadly violence. We will show in court that it was a rage inflamed by hate that led to this senseless tragedy. The defendant will have to answer to some very serious charges,” Katz said.