The Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in Massachusetts dropped out of the race on Sunday hours after he was arrested in a suspected drunk driving crash in New Bedford Saturday night.
Shawn Oliver, 42, appeared in court Monday morning, and his arraignment lasted less than two minutes. He is charged with Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol (OUI), Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle, a Marked Lanes Violation, and Speeding. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On Saturday, New Bedford police said Oliver was behind the wheel when he sped down Dartmouth Street, hit five other vehicles, then flipped his SUV. A person who was driving behind him told officers that Oliver swerved across the yellow line, nearly hit a curb, then veered back across the street and hit the cars. The impact of the crash pushed one of those vehicles over the curb, across the sidewalk, and onto the grass.
Oliver was able to climb out of the wreckage, police said. He was seen with a large gash, stapled shut on the right side of his head in court Monday.
Oliver told police he had at least two drinks at the Black Bass Grill before getting into the car, telling them “it’s been a long day,” and he’d been “burning both ends of the wick.”
The New Bedford City Councilor and Correction Officer agreed to give up his license, and suspend his campaign for Lieutenant Governor alongside Republican candidate for Governor Mike Minogue.
In a statement, Oliver said he was suspending his campaign because, “The election is too important to be overshadowed by personal matters.”
Minogue spoke about the crash Monday.
“I called for him to suspend and terminate campaign, he will not be my lieutenant governor,” Minogue said. “This is what you are supposed to as a leader – hold people accountable.”
