Quincy man indicted on federal hate crime charge after allegedly hitting man with car

QUINCY − A Quincy resident has been indicted on a federal hate crime charge after police say he yelled "Go back to China" at an Asian family before hitting a man with his car and pushing him into a ditch.

John Sullivan, 77, is accused of repeatedly yelling the phrase before hitting an Asian man with his car, throwing him into a ditch off Washington Street in downtown Quincy. He was charged in Quincy District Court with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, a civil rights violation, reckless driving and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash causing personal injury.

On Wednesday, Sullivan was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of violating the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

"Hate has no place here in Massachusetts," U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement. "Confronting hate crimes is a priority of my administration. ... “The alleged hate-filled and violent behavior of Mr. Sullivan is reprehensible, and we intend to hold him accountable.”

City Councilor-at-Large Nina Liang, the first Asian American to be elected president of the Quincy City Council, said the hate crime charge was "really validating." She said she has spoken to Rollins and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey about the incident.

"I'm grateful, but I wish it was something I didn't have to be grateful for, because nobody wins in this situation," Liang said. "It's two very conflicting feelings and something I wish we weren't dealing with at all."

Police say Sullivan was driving in the area of the Washington Street post office Dec. 2 where he "exchanged words" with pedestrians in the area about the speed at which he drove through the neighborhood, a spokesperson for Morrissey's office said. He reportedly told one of them, an Asian man, to "Go back to China."

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Sullivan then hit the man with his car, pushing him onto the hood of the vehicle, Morrissey's office said, and drove with him on the hood for about 50 yards. He stopped at the intersection of Foster Street, where the man was able to get off the hood. He was then told to "Go back to China" a second time, hit with the car again and pushed into a ditch that was under construction, officials said.

Sullivan left the scene of the crash, Morrissey's office said, but Quincy police were notified by authorities in Braintree that a car with the same license plate associated with the incident had been in a different crash on Quincy Avenue. He was then arrested by Quincy police.

The crime came a week after the brutal kidnapping and rape of an Asian woman in her 60s who was walking alone near the Wollaston T stop. After the back-to-back incidents, Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan, Liang and other public officials hosted a forum for nervous residents and outlined the options available, particularly for those who may be the victims of hate crimes.

"No matter what, there's always going to be an air of caution around what happened, but I think addressing it, acknowledging what happened and being upfront about resources was the best way we could have handled it," Liang said.

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Reach Mary Whitfill at mwhitfill@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: 'Go back to China': Quincy man indicted on hate crime charge