TUCSON, Ariz. — An Arizona Senate candidate was killed in a crash early Friday morning on Broadway Boulevard, east of North Houghton Road, according to Tucson Police.
Officers and fire crews responded to the scene around 6 a.m. Friday, after receiving a 9-1-1 call about the collision.
The victim, identified by TPD as 68-year-old John McLean, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other driver, 27-year-old Michael Martin Creel, was not seriously injured. He was later arrested on charges of manslaughter and aggravated DUI, according to TPD.
According to investigators, McLean was driving eastbound on Broadway Blvd. when Creel failed to stop at a stop sign on Ridgeside Drive and struck the passenger side of McLean’s vehicle.
An officer assessed Creel for impairment at the scene, and it was determined he was under the influence at the time of the crash. Creel was arrested and booked into the Pima County Jail.
The investigation is ongoing with speed and impairment believed to be key factors in the crash.
McLean, a Democrat, recently ran for state senator in District 17, but lost to Republican Vince Leach by about 3,000 votes. The seat had been held by Justine Wadsack before she lost her primary race to Leach.
On Friday, Leach released the following statement in reaction to McLean's death.
"My thoughts and prayers are with the McLean family for their tragic loss today," Leach said. "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. As a third-generation Arizonan, the lives John positively touched during his life are incalculable, and we should all be so fortunate to do the same."
Senator Justine Wadsack said in a statement, "I want to express my sincerest condolences to John McLean's friends and family who suffered a tragic loss this morning. John was deeply rooted in Tucson’s community, was a graduate of the University of Arizona, retired Tucson business owner, and regular volunteer with the Humane Society. This is a travesty in every way, shape and form. My prayers go out to everyone close to him who are affected by this terrible news."
McLean was a third-generation Arizona resident. McLean attended the University of Arizona and graduate school in California, according to his campaign website.
McLean spent over 33 years in Pima County, where he founded Arete Associates, a business focused on national security technologies, his campaign website states.
John was also dedicated to public service, inspired by his uncle, state Senator Bob Wilcox. He volunteered and advocated for local causes in education, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, and served on the boards of four Arizona-based nonprofits, according to McLean for Arizona.