Man, 57, enraged by ‘yuppies with dogs’ is charged with four counts of attempted murder after ramming his pickup truck into group of picnic goers in chicago, injuring two

Timothy Nielsen allegedly, mounted the curb and plowed through bcyles and chairs to get the group of 10 where they sat on the grassy median on Chicago´s Logan Square on Saturday

Neilsen allegedly directed anti-Asian comments at an Asian man before the incident

He asked a man how long he’d lived in the area before telling him he was angry at the presence of ‘yuppies on the boulevard… out there with their dogs.’

He allegedly told the witnesses, ‘Watch what I’m going to do’

Members of the community who witnessed the incident believe hate crime charges should be filed against Nielsen given his alleged use of racist slurs

Neilsen has prior criminal history, including a four-year prison sentence for aggravated kidnapping

He is being held without bond, scheduled foor his next court appearance on May 10

After telling a witnesses ‘watch what I’m going to do’, an disgruntled middle aged man stepped behind the wheel of his large truck amd assaulted a group of people he believed were impostors in his cChicago neighborhood.
The man who complained about ‘yuppies with dogs’ before he plowed his pick up truck into a group of people having a picnic
Two people were injured, but no one was killed when Timothy Nielsen, 57, mounted the curb and allegedly drove at the group of 10 who were sat on the grassy median on Chicago´s Logan Square on Saturday.

The truck was only stopped after a bicycle and cooler he ran over became lodged under the vehicle.  
Nielsen, who has lived in Logan Square for 20 years, was charged on Monday with four counts of attempted murder and ordered held without bond by Cook County Circuit Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke.
Prosecutors say the group were celebrating a birthday on Saturday when Nielsen drove up to group in his red Ford F-150 pickup, and began complaining about their dogs.  
Nick Lau, 33, a resident who used to live just feet from the crash scene, told Neilsen ‘his unsolicited comments were unwelcome’ and waved his hand at him.
Rob Lopez — who also was a witness to the attack — said, Neilsen allegedly directed anti-Asian comments at Lau, who is Asian, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Nielsen left and pulled into an alley nearby where a witness was watering flowers behind his home. 
He told police Nielsen had asked him how long he’d lived in the area before telling him he was angry at the presence of ‘yuppies on the boulevard… out there with their dogs.’
Neilsen allegedly told the witnesses, ‘Watch what I’m going to do’. 
He then got into his vehicle revved his red Ford F150 and jumped the curb, over the grass mowing over bikes and chairs while slamming into the group, striking one person and trapping a 42-year-old woman, according to witnesses at the scene.

She was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment.
A pregnant woman also was nearby and avoided being struck by the pickup.
The woman’s injuries could have been worse if a Yeti cooler wasn’t lodged between the ground and the front of Nielsen’s truck, preventing him from driving any farther.
Neilsen allegedly continued to rev his pickup engine, spinning the truck’s wheels, but he wasn’t able to drive forward.
As members of the group tried to get Nielsen out of his pickup, he took out a knife and swung it at them. One person suffered a minor scratch on the arm from Nielsen.  
One witness said Nielsen also shouted anti-Asian epithets at a member of the party before gunning the truck toward them.

Tonight at 10 on NBC5 Chicago my video from a Logan Square hate crime today! @nbcphilrogers pic.twitter.com/RmOg5cOAav

— Bart Shore (@BartShore) May 2, 2021

Members of the community who witnessed the incident believe hate crime charges should be filed against Nielsen given the racist slurs he his allegedly, directed at the group. 
It could have been ‘more of a disastrous situation,’ said Assistant State´s Attorney Lorraine Scaduto. 
During the bond hearing, prosecutors detailed Nielsen’s prior criminal history, including a four-year prison sentence for aggravated kidnapping. Nielsen and another person in 1989 entered a man’s home with guns and, claiming to be police, took the man from his home, added Scaduto. They took the man to a garage and beat him, holding him for ransom.
Nielsen also served a prison sentence for running a loan-sharking operation with his brother that they enforced with death threats and violence.
Nielsen was ordered to be held without bond on charges of attempted murder. Police said he intentionally hit the woman when he drove his vehicle into the pinic group on Saturday. He is due in court on May 10.