Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Candidate Shawn Oliver Arrested Following DUI Crash
Republican lieutenant governor candidate Shawn Oliver faces DUI charges after a New Bedford crash. Running mate Mike Minogue demands he exit the race.
POLICY WIRE — New Bedford, USA — Shawn Oliver, a member of the New Bedford City Council and the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, was taken into custody late Saturday night following a vehicle collision involving allegations of drunk driving.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. on Dartmouth Street. Authorities reported that Oliver’s SUV overturned and struck several stationary vehicles, resulting in significant damage to two of the five cars involved in the wreck.
Following the crash, Oliver was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital for medical evaluation. Law enforcement officials subsequently arrested him after conducting an investigation at both the scene and the medical facility.
Oliver, who serves as the Ward 3 representative on the New Bedford City Council, now faces charges including operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, and a marked lanes violation.
In response to the arrest, Mike Minogue, the Republican candidate for governor, issued a public statement on Sunday urging Oliver to withdraw from the campaign. Minogue stated, I am extremely disappointed. Shawn is lucky to be alive and lucky that no one innocent was hurt. There is no excuse for driving under the influence.
Minogue added, “After speaking with Shawn, I am asking him to suspend his campaign immediately, and when elected, I will formally ask for his resignation. Shawn is a father and grandfather, and he needs to put his family first. He needs to do the work to ensure this never happens again. If he needs help with that, I will help him.”
Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale noted that the organization is currently monitoring the situation. “We just learned of the car accident involving Shawn Oliver. We are awaiting additional information as everyone else,” Carnevale said.
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, a Democrat, also weighed in on the incident. “This morning, I was made aware that City Councilor Shawn Oliver was involved in a car accident in the South End and taken into custody. I’m grateful to the New Bedford Police Department for their prompt response and relieved that no one was seriously injured,” Mitchell stated.
The mayor further emphasized the need for transparency, noting, “The allegations against Councilor Oliver are deeply concerning, and the public deserves to hear his explanation of what happened.”
The Minogue-Oliver ticket is currently challenging incumbent Democrats Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll in the upcoming gubernatorial election. Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
