Mass. lt. gov. candidate arrested on OUI charges after rollover New Bedford crash
MASS GOP CHAIR AMY CARNEVALE: TYPICAL BRAIN DEAD RESPONSE!
SHAWN OLIVER STRUCK 5 PARKED VEHICLES!
HOW DRUNK DO YOU HAVE TO BE?
SHAWN OLIVER COULD HAVE STRUCK A PEDESTRIAN OR A CHILD!
Mass. lt. gov. candidate arrested on OUI charges after rollover New Bedford crash
Saying he was "extremely disappointed," the Republican candidate for governor, Mike Minogue, called on Shawn Oliver to suspend his campaign
By Nicole Garcia and Asher Klein
This 2024 file photo shows New Bedford City Councilor Shawn Oliver speak at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the new turf field at New Bedford High School.
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.
Oliver, who is a city councilor in New Bedford, 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.
NBC10 Boston has reached out to Oliver for comment on the crash. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak to the charges.
Saying he was "extremely disappointed," the Republican candidate for governor, Mike Minogue, 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.
The Mayor of New Bedford was made aware of the incident this morning and stated that "the allegations against Councilor Oliver are deeply concerning, and 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."
Lt. Gov. candidate Shawn Oliver arrested on OUI charge
NEW BEDFORD — Republican candidate for lieutenant governor and New Bedford City Councilor Shawn Oliver was arrested on a charge of operating under the influence of alcohol, according to the New Bedford Police Department.
Around 11:40 p.m., officers responded to Dartmouth Street for a motor vehicle crash involving an overturned car that struck multiple parked cars. Five cars were involved in the crash, spokesperson Holly Huntoon said, and two sustained “extensive damage.”
Oliver, 42, was taken to St. Luke’s for treatment of injuries and then placed under arrest. He was also charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding and a marked lanes violation.
Sheriff Paul Heroux told The Light that Oliver was held at Ash Street Jail after being booked at around 6:45 a.m. A Light reporter was standing outside the jail when Oliver exited just after 9 a.m. on Sunday.
Oliver told the reporter he was in a crash on Dartmouth Street. He declined to comment further and did not answer questions about why he was taken into custody.
Oliver did not have a ride and walked away from the jail in a plain white T-shirt with his belongings in a plastic bag. It was 44 degrees outside. He had no visible injuries.
Glass, plastic and tire skidmarks were all present in front of the apartment complex across from the Stop & Shop on Dartmouth Street. A portion of the complex’s lawn was littered with fragments of clear plastic and what looked like pieces of a car’s front grille.
Mayor Jon Mitchell posted his reaction on his Facebook page.
“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,” he said. “I’m grateful to the New Bedford Police Department for their prompt response and relieved that no one was seriously injured. The allegations against Councilor Oliver are deeply concerning, and the public deserves to hear his explanation of what happened.”
Oliver has been campaigning across the state, including with his running mate, gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue.
Minogue posted on social media that he spoke to Oliver and asked him to immediately suspend his campaign. He said “…when elected, I will formally ask for his resignation.”
“I am extremely disappointed. Shawn is lucky to be alive and lucky that no one innocent was hurt,” Minogue said in the post. “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.”
Amy Carnevale, chairwoman for the Massachusetts Republican Party, in a brief statement earlier on Sunday said the group “just learned of the car accident involving Shawn Oliver” and “are awaiting additional information as everyone else.”
The Light contacted Gov. Maura Healey’s office seeking comment.
Oliver’s last public appearance was at an event for candidates in Newton with conservative influencer and podcast host Mike Urban. Urban told a Light reporter on Sunday morning that Oliver left the event around 4:30 or 5 p.m., when the restaurant venue was still closed and no alcohol had been served.
Oliver is not the first New Bedford City Councilor to face criminal charges over alleged drinking and driving. Hugh Dunn was charged with OUI in 2021 while a sitting city councilor after hitting cars in a parking lot in downtown New Bedford.
Oliver ran with Brian Shortsleeve on the Republican ticket until Shortsleeve’s defeat in the primary. Since Oliver was the only GOP lieutenant governor candidate, he was tapped as Minogue’s running mate.
The Shortsleeve campaign didn’t immediately have a comment on Oliver’s arrest.
“This is news to us, so I will have to get back to you,” said campaign spokesperson Holly Robichaud when she was reached by a reporter early Sunday.
Minogue in April had endorsed Anne Brensley for the lieutenant governor post, but she failed to hit the signature threshold to appear on the ballot after a fraudulent signature-gathering debacle. In a Facebook post, Brensley backed Minogue’s calls for Oliver to end his candidacy.
“Driving under the influence is reckless, dangerous, and completely unacceptable,” Brensley wrote. “These are serious allegations, and the legal process must take its course. But let me be clear: this kind of behavior should never be tolerated, regardless of someone’s political affiliation or position.”
Anne Manning Martin, another Republican lieutenant governor hopeful, was also disqualified from the ballot over fraudulent signatures following a complaint lodged by Oliver. Minogue called Oliver’s action “shameful,” prompting Shortsleeve to demand an apology for his running mate.
The Manning Martin campaign did not immediately respond to The Light’s email seeking comment on Sunday.
On primary night, Oliver spoke about aligning with Minogue as part of the GOP’s larger quest in the general election cycle.
“I’d also like to take a moment to congratulate Mike Minogue in winning the Republican nomination for governor,” Oliver told supporters gathered at the Sheraton Boston Hotel with the Shortsleeve campaign Sept. 1. “But now, with the primary behind us, we must truly unite to continue the mission for Massachusetts and defeat Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll this November because there is so much at stake.”
Oliver, a longtime corrections officer, was born and raised in New Bedford. He was elected to the Ward 3 City Council seat in February 2023. If elected lieutenant governor, Oliver said, he intended to meet with leaders from all 351 municipalities within his first year. He also planned to advocate for the commercial fishing industry.
Local Republicans react
Some South Coast Republicans shared concerns about Oliver’s intense campaign schedule as news of the candidate’s arrest spread.
Bob McConnell, a member of the state Republican committee from Fairhaven who’s running against State Sen. Mark Montigny, said he was “just overwhelmed with worry, and guilt too.” McConnell said Oliver had asked him to carpool to the Newton gathering, but he turned Oliver down because he was attending a different event.
“He’s just working so hard, going without sleep and trying to manage not only the campaign but his job,” he said. Oliver is a corrections officer for the state Department of Corrections.
McConnell said he prayed for Oliver in church on Sunday morning. He said “the timing is just so horribly bad,” but he declined to comment any further on the political implications for Oliver’s lieutenant governor campaign, saying that to do so “would just be foolish speculation” right now.
Henry Bousquet, a former New Bedford city councilor who lost the Republican primary for the 9th Bristol Statehouse district this fall, said he didn’t have much to say because he was still waiting for more information to come out about the crash.
“What I do know is Shawn has been working and campaigning statewide, and likely burning the candle at both ends,” he said.
Seth Aitken, the Republican running for Bristol County District Attorney, said Oliver has been “a good friend and an incredibly helpful colleague.”
The charges aren’t a good look for Oliver this close to Election Day, Aitken said. But he added that there’s “a lot more to know” about the situation, and more evidence could come out through the criminal process. He said he was withholding judgment until he knew more and didn’t want Oliver to be “characterized by one bad choice.”
“There’s a tremendous amount of pressure on candidates, especially running for statewide office,” Aitken said. “I’m just glad he wasn’t hurt.”
WHAT A BRAIN DEAD STUPID COMMENT!
SHAWN OLIVER COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE - A CHILD! A PEDESTRIAN! HE HIT 5 PARKED CARS!
TYPICAL REPUBLICAN: FAILED TO ENGAGE BRAIN BEFORE ENGAGED MOUTH!
Oliver also serves as the chair of New Bedford’s Republican City Committee. Other committee officers listed in state filings did not immediately respond to The Light’s voicemails seeking comment on Sunday.
This is a developing story.
Nathan Collins contributed reporting.
NEW BEDFORD LIGHT
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