A Massachusetts man plead guilty Wednesday to one federal hate crime count, officials stated.
Court documents indicate that John Sullivan pleaded guilty to willfully causing bodily injury to victim G.N. through the use of a dangerous weapon (a vehicle) because of G.N.’s race.
According to the plea agreement, Sullivan encountered G.N., who is Vietnamese, and his family, who are also Asian American, outside a post office.
Sullivan had never met the victim or the victim’s family before.
In front of the family’s three children under the age of 12, Sullivan yelled that the family should “go back to China,” threatened to kill them, and drove his car into G.N., causing G.N. to land on the hood of the moving car and remain there while the car moved approximately 200 feet.
Eventually, Sullivan stopped the car, causing G.N. to fall into a construction ditch and suffer bodily injury and pain.
Quincy resident Desiree Thien told WCVB, The Patriot Ledger’s media partner, that it was her brother who was hit by the car. She said he was with Thein and her three children when they saw Sullivan speeding down the road. When Thien’s brother spoke to Sullivan about his speeding, he then racially harassed and threatened the five of them.
“This defendant’s hate-filled attack not only seriously injured the victim, but also traumatized three children in his family, solely because they were Asian American,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No person in this country should have to fear for their own or their family’s safety because of who they are or where they are from. “
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 26.
The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey Cummings for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.