Nevada Senate Minority Leader Mike McGinness and his wife escaped serious injury when their Ford sport utility vehicle collided with a vehicle that reportedly ran a stop sign, authorities said Wednesday.
The driver of the other vehicle was subsequently arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, Churchill County Sheriff Ben Trotter said.
McGinness, R-Fallon, told The Associated Press that his wife, Dee, "has a big bruise on her knee" but is otherwise OK.
Both were treated at the scene late Tuesday afternoon. McGinness, 63, is general manager of KVLV radio station. He said they were on their way to the station when the accident happened around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday.
"Not a good way to end the day," McGinness said.
The accident was first reported by the Lahontan Valley News.
Trotter said a Jeep driven by George Agee, 63, ran a stop sign and was T-boned in the driver's side by McGinness' vehicle. Agee's vehicle rolled onto its side, and both he and a passenger had to be extricated.
Trotter said the two were taken to a local hospital, where they were treated and released. Agee was then booked on suspicion of DUI pending results of blood-alcohol tests, the sheriff said.
McGinness was first elected in 1988 to the Nevada Assembly, where he served two terms before being elected to the Senate where he has served since 1992.
He was named minority leader after the November election when longtime Republican caucus leader, Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, stepped down from the post after McGinness, at the urging of conservative party members, challenged Raggio's leadership.
Raggio retired from his Senate seat this month, citing health reasons and waning mobility. Greg Brower, a former assemblyman and Nevada U.S. attorney, was appointed Tuesday to replace Raggio by the Washoe County Commission.
