QUINCY, MASS. (WHDH) – A man from Quincy was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday a matter of months after investigators said he made anti-Asian remarks and hit a man with his car.
John Sullivan, 77, has been accused of committing a hate crime. He is facing a charge of one count of violating the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
The incident happened on Dec. 2 when investigators said Sullivan allegedly threatened Daniel Ngo, his sister Desiree Thien and Thien’s three children. Officials said Sullivan allegedly told them to “go back to China” before hitting Ngo twice with his car.
Ngo said he suffered a broken shoulder, an injured leg and a concussion.
U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said “the alleged hate-filled and violent behavior of Mr. Sullivan is reprehensible,” adding in a statement that officials “intend to hold him accountable.”
Rollins said this case demonstrates how her office “will aggressively prosecute hate crimes and other civil-rights offenses committed because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of any individual or group.”
“Our thoughts are with the victim and their family at this time,” Rollins said.
“There is no way to undo the alleged damage that Mr. Sullivan did to this victim with his hateful, repulsive, and violent behavior,” FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph Bonavolonta said. “No one should ever be targeted or threatened because of their race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or immigration status.”
Sullivan was ordered to remain under house arrest following a dangerousness hearing in December.
Sullivan’s attorney said after the hearing that his client did nothing wrong.
“He denies ever saying anything racial, no eyewitness ever heard him say anything racial, no video picked up him saying anything racial,” he said.
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