Police: Quincy man charged with civil rights violation after ramming Asian man into ditch

QUINCY, Mass. — A Quincy man is charged with a civil rights violation after ramming his car into an Asian man on Friday.

“He told us to go back to China,” says Desiree Thien

That’s what Thien says she and her family heard from John Sullivan, 77 as they came out of the post office on Friday.

“I’ve read about hate crimes, I’ve seen it on tv, on the internet but it has never hit me. To me it was very shocking,” says Thien.

According to Quincy Police, Sullivan’s comment came after Thien’s brother told him that he saw him speeding. That’s when police say Sullivan hit him with his car.

“My brother pushed me aside and then the car hit him. He went rolling onto the hood. Sullivan abruptly stopped on the break. He fell down and was trying to balance when Sullivan threw racial slurs at him again and he said ‘I am going to kill you’ and he rammed into my brother again which sent him flying into the construction ditch,” says Thien.

Thien says her brother cared more about her than about what happened to him.

“His adrenaline was running so I don’t think he felt the pain. He was more angry that this was happening to me and to him and he was frustrated that it was happening in front of his nieces and nephews,” says Thien.

Workers were there and tried to stop Sullivan from leaving the scene.

“Being hateful and racist is one thing, but you drop down to pure evil when you target children. For my kids, they do not deserve to be witnessing or even be a part of this discrimination toward them,” says Thien.

Police arrested Sullivan after a witness followed him. He faces a number of charges including a civil rights violation and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury.

“I want him for the rest of his life to stay in prison where he belongs because he is a danger to society. He is 77 so Satan is waiting for him with open arms,” says Thien.

Thien’s brother suffered numerous injuries including a concussion, fractures and torn ligaments. Sullivan is due in court on Wednesday.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group