By Tiffany Williams –
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — A late-night crash has thrown Massachusetts’ Republican race for governor into turmoil, with lieutenant governor candidate Shawn Oliver facing drunken driving charges after police said his SUV overturned and struck five parked vehicles in New Bedford. His running mate is now publicly demanding that he suspend his campaign.
Oliver, a New Bedford city councilor representing Ward 3, was arrested following the crash near a shopping plaza on Dartmouth Street at approximately 11:40 p.m. Saturday. Police said his SUV overturned after striking five parked vehicles, two of which sustained extensive damage.
The Republican candidate faces charges of operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a marked lanes violation and speeding, according to New Bedford police. The charges arise from the same crash, but each allegation will have to be addressed through the court process.
Police said Oliver was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital for medical treatment. Officers conducted an investigation at the crash scene and at the hospital before placing him under arrest. The information released does not identify the cause of the vehicle overturning beyond the alleged driving violations, and it does not provide a blood alcohol test result.
The crash occurred in the final weeks of a statewide election campaign, with Oliver running for lieutenant governor alongside Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Minogue against incumbent Democratic Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
By Sunday, the fallout had reached the top of the Republican ticket. Minogue issued a statement calling for Oliver to suspend his campaign immediately, saying he had spoken directly with his running mate following the incident.
“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 said. “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.”
Minogue’s statement represents an extraordinary public break between two candidates running on the same statewide ticket. His call for Oliver to suspend his campaign came after the arrest and before any reported resolution of the criminal charges.
The Massachusetts Republican Party also responded Sunday, but stopped short of making a judgment about Oliver’s political future. Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale said officials were still seeking information about what had happened.
“We just learned of the car accident involving Shawn Oliver. We are awaiting additional information as everyone else,” Carnevale said.
In New Bedford, the city’s mayor expressed concern about the allegations against a sitting member of the City Council. Mayor Jon Mitchell, a Democrat, said he had learned of the crash and arrest Sunday morning and welcomed the absence of reported serious injuries.
“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,” the mayor said. “The allegations against Councilor Oliver are deeply concerning, and the public deserves to hear his explanation of what happened.”
Mitchell’s remarks put additional pressure on Oliver in his capacity as an elected local official, separate from his role as a statewide candidate. The mayor did not announce any disciplinary action against the councilor in the statement provided.
The collision left a significant amount of property damage. Police said five parked vehicles were struck and two were heavily damaged, in addition to Oliver’s overturned SUV. The material released does not identify the owners of the damaged vehicles or specify the full cost of the damage.
Authorities said Oliver received treatment at St. Luke’s Hospital before being arrested. The information provided does not describe the nature of his injuries or report that any other person suffered serious injuries in the collision.
The charges of operating under the influence and negligent operation are criminal allegations. The marked lanes and speeding allegations also form part of the reported case. Oliver has not been convicted in connection with the crash, and the presumption of innocence applies as the case proceeds.
A spokesperson for Governor Healey said the governor’s office had no comment at this time. No response from Oliver himself was included in the information provided beyond Minogue’s statement that the two had spoken.
The arrest now leaves the Republican campaign confronting two separate questions: how Oliver will respond to the criminal allegations, and whether he will heed his running mate’s demand to suspend his campaign with Election Day approaching.
For the moment, the facts established by the police account are stark. An SUV overturned on Dartmouth Street late Saturday, five parked vehicles were struck, the driver was treated at a hospital and then arrested, and a candidate for one of Massachusetts’ highest statewide offices now faces drunken driving and related charges.
What comes next for Oliver’s candidacy remains unresolved in the information released. But the political response is already underway, with his own running mate asking him to step aside and New Bedford’s mayor insisting that the public deserves an explanation.