Arizona Senate candidate killed in car crash day after conceding

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A Democratic campaigner for the Arizona authorities Senate was killed erstwhile his conveyance was deed by a suspected drunk driver Friday morning, a time aft helium conceded the contention to his GOP rival.

John McLean, 68, was driving a Toyota RAV4 successful his hometown of Tucson astatine astir 6 a.m. erstwhile a Ford Explorer failed to halt astatine a halt motion and struck McLean’s conveyance astatine a precocious complaint of speed arsenic it passed done an intersection, the Tucson Police Department said.

The operator of the Explorer, 27-year-old Michael Martin Creel, was not earnestly injured and was arrested connected suspicion of manslaughter and aggravated driving nether the influence. He was booked into Pima County Jail.

An online hunt did not crook up an lawyer who could talk connected Creel’s behalf. The Associated Press did not person an contiguous effect to a voicemail and email near with the Pima County Public Defender’s Office soon earlier the adjacent of concern Friday.

The Pima County Democratic Party said successful a connection that it was “heartbroken to perceive of the tragic decease of John McLean.”

“We got to cognize John connected the run trail, but arsenic a 3rd procreation Arizonan, helium has agelong served Tucson,” the connection said. “John was a person successful Pima County adjacent earlier helium stepped up to amended our state, and tally for Arizona State Senate.”

Vince Leach, his Republican hostile successful the race, sent condolences to McLean’s household and called him “a bully antheral who conducted himself honorably arsenic a candidate.”

The Associated Press had not declared a victor successful the contention arsenic of precocious Friday due to the fact that it was inactive excessively aboriginal to call. McLean, however, conceded the contention Thursday, saying successful a Facebook post: “It has been an grant and a privilege to tally arsenic the Democratic campaigner for the LD17 Senate seat.”

“While the result isn’t what we hoped for,” helium added, “I americium arrogant of the enactment that truthful galore radical enactment into our campaign.”

mcleanforarizona.com

John McLean, 68, was driving a Toyota RAV4 successful his hometown of Tucson astatine astir 6 a.m. erstwhile a Ford Explorer failed to halt astatine a halt motion and struck McLean’s conveyance astatine a precocious complaint of velocity arsenic it passed done an intersection, the Tucson Police Department said. (mcleanforarizona.com)

Outgoing GOP Sen. Justine Wadsack, who has held the spot representing the Tucson country since 2022, besides sent condolences to McLean’s loved ones.

“John was profoundly rooted successful Tucson’s community, was a postgraduate of the University of Arizona, retired Tucson concern owner, and regular unpaid with the Humane Society,” she said. “This is simply a travesty successful each way.”