Former Calif. Mayor Mike Morgan Killed, Wife Severely Injured in Car Crash Ahead of Thanksgiving

Former Camarillo, Calif., mayor and council member Mike Morgan has died in a car accident. He was 77.

On Wednesday, Nov. 27, the City of Camarillo announced Morgan's death following a "tragic vehicle accident" the day prior. His wife, Donna, is severely injured.

Camarillo Mayor Tony Tremblay said in a news release, "We are saddened to learn of a tragic vehicle accident yesterday, resulting in the death of former City Council member and Mayor Mike Morgan and severe injuries to his wife Donna."

Morgan and his wife had been driving to the Reno, Nevada area to visit their children at the time of the accident, Camarillo city councilman Kevin Kildee, who worked alongside Morgan on the council for 22 years, told the Ventura County Star.

Morgan — who was born in Vernon, Texas, before moving to Camarillo in 1961 — and his wife share two children together, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Morgan was first elected to the city council in 1980 before he was unseated in 2018, the L.A. Times reported. He also served six terms as mayor.

"Mike Morgan spent many years serving our community in both an elected capacity and several nonprofit and church-related activities," Mayor Tremblay added in Wednesday's release.

He continued, "He spent thirty eight years on our City Council and served six terms as Mayor. Together with his fellow Councilmembers and many others, he made a significant contribution to our City through his leadership and devotion to Camarillo."

"On behalf of the City Council and the entire City staff, please keep Mike and Donna Morgan and their family in your thoughts and prayers," Tremblay's message concluded.

Paying tribute to the late politician, Kevin Kildee said, according to the Ventura County Star, "Mike was a larger-than-life person. He had the best interests of Camarillo at heart, and he was very passionate about Camarillo."

"Mike was a big part of the fabric of our community here, and he's really going to be missed," he added. "We're all in a state of shock over what happened. I'm still trying to process it. You lose a community member of that magnitude, and it's going to take some time."

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While reflecting on his council career ending in 2018, Morgan told the Ventura County Star, “When I first came to the council ... one of my goals was to make Camarillo one of the best places in the world to live,” as he was honored with a special plaque for his service through the years.

A City of Camarillo spokesperson and Kevin Kildee didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.