New Hampshire Man Allegedly Threatened To Douse Black Man In Gasoline, Burn Him

A Seabrook man is facing both criminal indictments as well as a civil suit after allegedly shouting racial slurs at a Black family and threatening to douse a Black man with gasoline and burn him at a Seabrook gas station, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office.

In a press release distributed Wednesday afternoon, Deputy Attorney General Jane E. Young announced the initiation of an enforcement action by the Civil Rights Unit against John Doran, 61, of Seabrook, for violating the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act, the release alleges.

During the incident, which occurred in July, Doran allegedly shouted racial slurs at a Black family while at a gas station in Seabrook, according to the Attorney General's Office. A male individual attempted to address Doran, who again allegedly shouted racial slurs while "brandishing one of the gas hoses at him," the release said.

Doran then allegedly threatened to douse the man with gasoline and burn him while shouting more racial obscenities, according to public court documents. Those documents include indictments against Doran including criminal threatening with a deadly weapon, simple assault and criminal threatening.

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Both civil and criminal cases were filed in recent weeks against Doran at Rockingham County Superior Court, according to the New Hampshire Judicial Branch's website.

An arraignment for the criminal case is scheduled for February 19 at 9 a.m, according to a spokesperson with the New Hampshire Judicial Branch. A court date has not yet been set for the civil suit.

A civil rights violation allows for a maximum civil fine for $5,000, per the Attorney General's Office, and the court may add further violations of the Civil Rights Act.

The Civil Rights Unit enforces state and federal civil rights laws, including the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act and the New Hampshire Law Against Discrimination. Anyone who believes their civil rights may have been violated may file a complaint here or by calling 603-271-3650.