“This election is too important to be overshadowed by personal matters,” Shawn Oliver, who currently serves as a corrections officer and a city councilor in New Bedford, said in a statement

NEED TO KNOW

• The Republican candidate for Massachusetts’ lieutenant governor has dropped out of the race on Sunday, Oct. 18
• Shawn Oliver has been charged in connection with allegedly driving under the influence and causing a five- car crash
• “This election is too important to be overshadowed by personal matters,” Oliver, who currently serves as a corrections officer and a city councilor in New Bedford, said in a statement

The Republican candidate for Massachusetts’ lieutenant governor has dropped out of the race after he was charged in connection with allegedly driving under the influence and causing a five- car crash.

“After careful reflection, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Lieutenant Governor,” Shawn Oliver, who currently serves as a corrections officer and a city councilor in New Bedford, wrote on social media on Sunday, Oct. 18.

“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 continued.

According to The Boston Globe and WCVB, which cited the New Bedford Police Department (NBPD), authorities received a report of a crash involving a car that overturned after hitting several parked vehicles. Per the Globe, two of the cars sustained “extensive damage.”

Oliver, the driver of the car, was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a marked lanes violation and speeding, the outlets reported.

Oliver was treated for his injuries at a local hospital, and he was booked early on the morning of Oct. 18, according to the Globe, which cited the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO). Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux told the outlet that Oliver spent less than three hours in jail before he was released.

Jennifer Sowa, a spokesperson for the Bristol District Attorney’s Office (BDAO), said Oliver is expected to be arraigned in New Bedford District Court on Monday, Oct. 19.

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Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue asked Oliver, who was serving as his running mate, to step down after his arrest. “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,” he wrote in a statement on X.

“After speaking with Shawn, I am asking him to suspend his campaign immediately, and when elected, I will formally ask for his resignation,” continued Minogue. “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.”

Oliver did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Oct. 18, nor did the NBPD, the BCSO or the BDAO.

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