Some follow-up on the brutal hate crime beating of a Sikh man in Fresno... Last month, a man was charged with attempted murder and inflicting serious injuries in the attack on 82-year-old Piara Singh: Transient charged with attempted murder of elderly Sikh.Last week, the Fresno County district attorney added a hate crime charge to the case against 29-year-old Gilbert Garcia Jr., who is accused of targeting Singh because he was wearing a turban, and beating him with a metal pipe: Hate crime alleged in Fresno Sikh beating case.
Police said Piara Singh was walking on Cherry Avenue just south of North Avenue when he was attacked by a man riding a bicycle and armed with a steel rod around 7:30 a.m. Sunday.Garcia has pleaded not guilty to the felony charges and is in jail with bail set at more than $1.5 million. He scheduled to appear in court on June 26. More here: Hate crime added in Sikh beating case.
Without saying a word, the attacker beat Singh in the head and body, police said. A half-hour later, police arrested Garcia in a rural neighborhood about a half-mile from the temple.
Singh has been hospitalized with head wounds, broken ribs and lung lacerations. He was listed in fair condition Thursday at Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno.