Massachusetts Republican lieutenant governor candidate suspends campaign after OUI arrest

A candidate for lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, Republican Shawn Oliver, was arrested on drunken driving charges after a crash late Saturday that left several parked vehicles damaged and his own overturned, police said. On Sunday, Oliver, a city councilor in New Bedford, announced he was suspending his campaign, as his running mate, Mike Minogue, had called for him to do. “After careful reflection, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Lieutenant Governor,” Oliver said in a statement. “This election is too important to be overshadowed by personal matters. I want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported me throughout this journey and ask that my family’s privacy be respected during this difficult time.” He faces charges of operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a marked lanes violation and speeding, New Bedford police said Sunday. They said Oliver’s vehicle overturned after hitting five parked vehicles, two of which were extensively damaged, near a shopping plaza on Dartmouth Street about 11:40 p.m. The candidate was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital to be treated and was later arrested. It wasn’t immediately clear if Oliver had an attorney who could speak to the charges. Saying he was “extremely disappointed,” the Republican candidate for governor, Mike Minogue, had called on Oliver to suspend his campaign “Shawn is lucky to be alive and lucky that no one innocent was hurt. There is no excuse for driving under the influence,” Minogue said in a statement. He said he’d spoken with Oliver and said “he needs to put his family first,” offering help so that Oliver ensures he doesn’t have another such incident. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said in a statement he was made aware of the incident this morning and called the allegations against Oliver “deeply concerning,” adding, “the public deserves to hear his explanation of what happened.” The head of the Massachusetts Republican Party, Chairwoman Amy Carnevale, said in a statement Sunday morning, “We just learned of the car accident involving Shawn Oliver. We are awaiting additional information as everyone else.”