While ballots in the race he was running for were still being counted, a Democratic candidate for the Arizona state Senate was killed in a car crash.
John McLean, 68, was driving near Broadway and Houghton Road on Tucson’s east side Friday morning when 27-year-old Michael Martin Creel ran a stop sign and crashed into the passenger side of McLean’s vehicle, according to a Tucson Police Department press release. McLean died at the scene.
TPD said Creel was impaired at the time of the collision and he is in jail facing charges of manslaughter and aggravated DUI, according to the release.
McLean was running for a Senate seat in closely contested District 17, which includes parts of Pima and Pinal counties.
Although the race was close and ballots were still being counted as of Friday, Republican Vince Leach appears to have won with 51% of the votes. Incumbent Justine Wadsack lost in the Republican primary.
McLean conceded in a Facebook post on Thursday. “It has been an honor and a privilege to run as the Democratic candidate for the LD17 Senate seat. While the outcome isn’t what we hoped for, I am proud of the work that so many people put into our campaign,” he said in the post. Supporters added condolence comments on the post.
Leach told the Arizona Daily Star: “John was a good man who conducted himself honorably as a candidate. My deepest condolences go out to John’s family and friends in this most difficult time. The lives John positively touched during his life are incalculable, and we should all be so fortunate to do the same.”
McLean was an aerospace engineer and businessman and was a board member for several nonprofit organizations, according to his campaign website. He was married with children. In a Ballotpedia candidate questionnaire, he was asked about something that has been a struggle in his life. McLean answered, “Finding enough time to complete all I want to accomplish.”
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