Providence man accused of assaulting Johnston police officer held on $200K bail

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The man accused of shooting at police officers after a high-speed chase and shooting another man in the wrist entered no plea at his arraignment Monday.

44-year-old Ernesto Vargas was held on $200,000 surety bail, despite his defense arguing that $50,000 bail would suffice.

Vargas is charged with nine counts, including two counts of assaulting a Johnston police officer, assaulting Keith Singleton, carrying a pistol without a license, possessing a firearm after being convicted of a crime of violence, possession and use of a firearm while committing a crime of violence, conspiring to commit felony assault, discharging a firearm in a compact area and eluding police.

According to police, on November 22, 2023, at around 1:30 a.m., Vargas and another person were inside a van in the area of Eaton and Douglas Avenues in Providence.

Prosecutors allege that the van he was in pursued another car, the occupant of which is identified as Keith Singleton.

After Singleton parked his car, prosecutors said Vargas and the other person inside shot Singleton in the wrist.

After Singleton called 911 to report what had happened, officials allege that Vargas engaged in a high speed chase through the streets of Providence with Singleton after the shooting.

Officials said Singleton was able to lose the van in North Providence, which is when North Providence police and Johnston police joined in the pursuit.

At around 1:45 a.m., the chase brought officers to the area of Chalkstone Avenue in Providence. Prosecutors said both Vargas and the other person in the van exited the vehicle and opened fire on the officers that were pursuing them.

Vargas was apprehended about a week later in East Greenwich. Police also said they found two phones where the chase ended in Providence, one of which was linked back to Vargas.

The prosecution said evidence found inside the van also linked Vargas to the chase and shooting.

Officials said Vargas is also a violator of two sentences, a shooting back in 2015 and a charge of delivering more than one kilogram of a controlled substance.

He is expected to return to court in March.