Quincy man allegedly yelled 'Go back to China' before hitting Asian man with car
QUINCY – A Quincy man was arrested Friday after police say he yelled at an Asian man to "Go back to China," hit him with his car, and drove about 50 yards with the victim on his hood.
It happened just before 11 a.m. on Washington Street.
Police say a man was walking when he saw 77-year-old John Sullivan speeding in the area. The victim and Sullivan exchanged words, and Sullivan stopped his car.
Sullivan allegedly made comments about the victim being Asian, and said the man's family should "Go back to China."
The man is accused of then driving into the man, causing him to land on the hood of the car. Sullivan allegedly drove about 50 yards with the man on his hood, then stopped suddenly.
After the man fell off the hood, Sullivan allegedly yelled "Go back to China" again. Police said Sullivan "drove forward in a fast deliberate manner," hitting the man again.
The impact from that crash sent the victim into a construction zone. He fell into an open ditch, landing about 10-15 feet below.
"For someone to be telling us that we don't belong here, to go back to China, that's not acceptable," Desiree Thien told WBZ-TV. She is the victim's brother.
"He was going into the post office to retrieve his mail. Then he said, when I come back in five minutes if you're still here, I'm going to kill all of you." Thien said her brother pushed her aside so she wouldn't be in the way of the car.
Sullivan drove off, but a witness followed him and gave directions to police. Sullivan was stopped in Braintree and charged with civil rights violation, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury.
The victim was limping after suffering a leg injury. An ambulance responded, but the man declined treatment.
Thien said her three children also witnessed the event. "He was channeling his racism toward my kids and he was threatening three minors so that's unacceptable. We need to stand unified, stand strong and say 'hey listen, we do not tolerate any form of racism, or hate crime in America, that's not what America stands for," she said.
Sullivan is due back in court this week for a dangerousness hearing.