Skip to the story | Text edition home | Full site

Reported by us | New Bedford

Shawn Oliver suspends campaign for lieutenant governor after OUI arrest

The New Bedford city councilor said Sunday afternoon that he is suspending his campaign, hours after his running mate, Mike Minogue, asked him to. Police say Oliver was arrested on an OUI charge after a crash on Dartmouth Street late Saturday.

By South Coast 360 staff | Published Oct. 18, 2026 | Last verified Oct. 18, 2026, 12:05 p.m. ET

Updated 5 p.m. Oct. 18. Oliver suspended his campaign Sunday afternoon; this story leads with his statement and includes an April campaign video in which he spoke about bail fees. Correction: An earlier version of this story said Oliver was released on personal recognizance, citing The New Bedford Light. The Light no longer reports that, and how he was released has not been confirmed.

NEW BEDFORD Shawn Oliver suspended his campaign for lieutenant governor Sunday afternoon, hours after his Republican running mate, Mike Minogue, called on him to do so following Oliver's arrest on a charge of operating under the influence of alcohol.

"After careful reflection, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. This election is too important to be overshadowed by personal matters," Oliver said in a statement reported by Boston 25 News and WBSM. "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."

Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale said the party supports his decision. "Lives were put at risk and that is never acceptable," she said in a statement reported by Boston 25 News and CBS News Boston. "We now stand to assist Shawn in getting any help he needs to ensure he never puts himself or others in harm's way again."

Ballots are already printed and early voting began Saturday, so Oliver will remain on the Nov. 3 ballot, WBSM reported.

Earlier Sunday, Minogue, the Republican nominee for governor, had called for the move.

"After speaking with Shawn, I am asking him to suspend his campaign immediately, and when elected, I will formally ask for his resignation," Minogue said in a statement released by his campaign. "I am extremely disappointed," he said. "Shawn is lucky to be alive and lucky that no one innocent was hurt. There is no excuse for driving under the influence."

"Shawn is a father and grandfather, and he needs to put his family first," Minogue said in the statement. "He needs to do the work to ensure this never happens again. If he needs help with that, I will help him." He also used the statement to criticize Gov. Maura Healey, saying accountability is "something Massachusetts has not seen from Maura Healey."

Oliver did not respond to the Light's questions about whether he plans to keep his City Council seat, the Light reported. South Coast 360 News sought comment from Oliver and from the Minogue campaign Sunday afternoon.

Oliver, a New Bedford city councilor, was arrested after a crash on Dartmouth Street late Saturday, New Bedford police said, according to The New Bedford Light, Boston 25 News and NBC 10 News.

He was also charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding and a marked lanes violation, police said.

Officers responded to Dartmouth Street around 11:40 p.m. for a crash in which a vehicle overturned after striking several parked cars, police said. Five vehicles were involved, and two sustained extensive damage. New Bedford police identified Oliver as the operator, NBC 10 News reported. Oliver, 42, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital for his injuries and then placed under arrest, police said.

Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux told the Light that Oliver was booked at about 6:45 a.m. and held at the Ash Street Jail. Heroux told The Boston Globe that Oliver spent less than three hours in the jail before he was released Sunday morning.

Oliver walked out of the jail just after 9 a.m., the Light reported. He told a Light reporter that he had been in a crash on Dartmouth Street, then declined to comment further and did not answer questions about why he had been taken into custody. He had no visible injuries when he left.

It was not immediately clear when Oliver is due in court. Oliver is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

In an earlier statement Sunday morning, reported by the Light and the Globe, Minogue said, "We are still learning the facts on what happened and hope and pray no one was hurt." He added, "If it is true, Shawn will need to take responsibility for his actions. Driving under the influence is not acceptable." Minogue also thanked law enforcement "for their response last night" and said he would have more to say "when we learn more."

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, a Democrat, said in a statement posted on Facebook that he learned Sunday morning that 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," Mitchell wrote. "The allegations against Councilor Oliver are deeply concerning, and the public deserves to hear his explanation of what happened."

Amy Carnevale, chairwoman of the Massachusetts Republican Party, said in a brief statement that the party "just learned of the car accident involving Shawn Oliver" and is awaiting more information, the Light reported.

Neither Oliver nor a spokesperson for his campaign immediately responded to the Globe's requests Sunday. The mayor's office did not immediately respond to the Light's request Sunday morning, which also sought comment from Gov. Maura Healey's office.

Oliver, who represents Ward 3, was first elected to the City Council in 2023. In March, the Light reported that he was a correction officer with the state Department of Correction, had joined the Republican Party in August 2025 and had been elected chair of the New Bedford Republican City Committee in February 2026.

Republican Brian Shortsleeve picked Oliver as his running mate in March. Oliver won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor on Sept. 1, the same day Minogue beat Shortsleeve for the party's nomination for governor, WBUR reported. Minogue had endorsed Anne Brensley for lieutenant governor in April, but she failed to qualify for the ballot, the Light reported. Oliver has since campaigned with Minogue.

In an April 20 video posted on his campaign's Facebook page, Oliver spoke about bail fees. "Massachusetts spends $7 million a year on cashless bail fees," he said. "Drunk drivers, drug dealers, people who are arrested at night or on the weekends, they get bailed out and the taxpayers foot the bill every single time. That's not justice, that's insanity." He said state Rep. Steve Xiarhos had "filed an amendment to end it" and that "working families shouldn't pay to bail out criminals."

The Republican ticket faces Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, both Democrats, in the Nov. 3 state election. Oliver and Driscoll met Oct. 13 on GBH's Boston Public Radio in what GBH News called the only lieutenant governor debate before the election.

South Coast 360 will update this story as police, court and campaign information becomes available.

Label: Reported by us, from The New Bedford Light's report and earlier coverage by the Light, WBUR and GBH News.

How we verified this

Oliver's statement suspending his campaign is quoted as Boston 25 News and WBSM printed it; CBS News Boston printed its last two sentences. Minogue's call for Oliver to suspend his campaign and the quotations in the second and third paragraphs come from his campaign's press release, as published in full by New Bedford Guide; NBC 10 News also reported the call. Mayor Jon Mitchell's statement is quoted as WBSM and CBS News Boston both printed it; the Light reported that he posted it on Facebook. NBC 10 quoted Minogue as saying he was "incredibly" disappointed; we use the release's wording, "extremely." The arrest, the four charges, the hospital visit and the account of the crash come from New Bedford police, as reported separately by The New Bedford Light, Boston 25 News and NBC 10, which reported that police identified Oliver as the operator. Sheriff Paul Heroux gave the booking time to the Light and the time in jail to The Boston Globe, and the Globe reported the booking charge, which it calls driving under the influence, from the sheriff's office. A Light reporter saw Oliver leave the jail. How he was released has not been confirmed. As of 12:05 p.m. Sunday, the New Bedford police arrest log online ran only through Oct. 15, we found no sheriff's office release, and court records could not be searched online. The background on Oliver comes from earlier reports by the Light, WBUR and GBH News, and the election date from the Acushnet town clerk, all listed below. We read each source again before publishing. The April video is on Oliver's campaign Facebook page; we quote it as he speaks it, from two separate transcripts that match. SC360 asked the Minogue campaign for comment at 12:36 p.m. Sunday and sought comment from Oliver at 5:03 p.m.; we also asked the Bristol County Sheriff's Office how he was released. No reply had come as of publishing.

Corrections

No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.

Sources (15)

  1. Lt. Gov. candidate Shawn Oliver arrested on OUI charge (Oct. 18, 2026)The New Bedford Light, by Anastasia E. Lennon, Eleonora Bianchi and Grace Ferguson, with Nathan Collins. The charges and the crash as given by New Bedford police and spokesperson Holly Huntoon; the hospital visit and the arrest; Sheriff Paul Heroux on the booking time; Oliver's comment; the statements from Mike Minogue and Amy Carnevale; Anne Brensley; the requests for comment. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 11:07 a.m. (version updated 10:57 a.m.)
  2. Republican candidate for Mass. lieutenant governor suspends campaign following OUI crash (Oct. 18, 2026)Boston 25 News. Oliver's statement suspending his campaign and Amy Carnevale's statement. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 2:55 p.m.
  3. Mass. Lt. Gov. Candidate Shawn Oliver Suspends Campaign After OUI Arrest and Overturned Car Crash (Oct. 18, 2026)WBSM. Oliver's statement, given Sunday afternoon, and what the suspension means for the ballot. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 2:57 p.m.
  4. Shawn Oliver for Lt. Governor, campaign video on cashless bail fees (Facebook, April 20, 2026)Oliver's campaign Facebook page. Every quotation in the paragraph on bail fees; we transcribed the video twice and the two transcripts match. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 3:25 p.m.
  5. Mike Minogue Calls on Shawn Oliver to Suspend Campaign (Oct. 18, 2026)Press release from the Mike Minogue campaign, as published in full by New Bedford Guide. Minogue's call for Oliver to suspend his campaign and every quotation from it. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 12:10 p.m.
  6. Mike Minogue Calls on Running Mate Shawn Oliver to Suspend Campaign After OUI Arrest (Oct. 18, 2026)WBSM. Mayor Jon Mitchell's statement, quoted in full. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 1:55 p.m.
  7. Shawn Oliver, Republican candidate for Massachusetts Lt. Gov., arrested after alleged drunk driving crash (Oct. 18, 2026)CBS News Boston. Mayor Jon Mitchell's statement, the same words, and his party. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 1:55 p.m.
  8. Massachusetts lieutenant governor candidate Shawn Oliver charged with OUI (Oct. 18, 2026)NBC 10 News (WJAR), by Molly Oldread. Police identifying Oliver as the operator; the crash and the charges as given by police. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 12:05 p.m. (version updated 11:40 a.m.)
  9. Republican candidate for Mass. lieutenant governor arrested on OUI charges in New Bedford (Oct. 18, 2026)Boston 25 News, by Bella Pelletiere. The crash, the five vehicles, the hospital visit and the four charges as given by New Bedford police; Amy Carnevale's statement. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 11:25 a.m. (posted 11:23 a.m.)
  10. Shawn Oliver, GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, charged with driving under the influence (Oct. 18, 2026)The Boston Globe, by Chris Van Buskirk and Kelly Garrity. The booking early Sunday as given by the Bristol County sheriff's office; Sheriff Paul Heroux on the time in jail and the release; Oliver's age; Minogue's statement; the requests for comment. Read Oct. 18, 2026, 11:07 a.m. (version updated 10:33 a.m.)
  11. City Councilor Oliver throws his hat into lieutenant governor race (March 27, 2026)The New Bedford Light. His job, his first election to the council, his party enrollment and his city committee post. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  12. Lieutenant governor nominee Shawn Oliver jumps on Minogue's team (Sept. 2, 2026)WBUR, from State House News Service. Shortsleeve's pick of Oliver in March and the Sept. 1 primary. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  13. A roundup of Massachusetts' key primary election results (Sept. 2, 2026)WBUR. Oliver's primary win, Minogue's win over Shortsleeve and Healey as the Democratic incumbent. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  14. In LG debate, nominees spar over Trump, immigration (Oct. 13, 2026)GBH News. The Oct. 13 debate with Driscoll, the only one between them, and the two tickets. Read Oct. 18, 2026.
  15. Acushnet Town Clerk, November 3rd State Election informationTown of Acushnet. The Nov. 3 state election date. Read Oct. 18, 2026.

This story on the full site