A newly elected mayor from a small Virginian town found himself in legal trouble on Tuesday after allegedly appearing intoxicated at the scene of a train derailment, according to local media.
Paul Morrison, who serves as the mayor of Rich Creek and is 57 years old, was apprehended on charges of public intoxication, as reported by WSLS citing information from jail records.
The train accident took place in the afternoon near Rich Creek, a town positioned along the Virginia-West Virginia border, as confirmed by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP).
The department noted that some elements of the derailment were reported within West Virginia territory, and the train involved was operated by Norfolk Southern Railway.
A Norfolk Southern Corp. train, led by a locomotive, passes through a section in Superior, West Virginia, on October 19, 2017. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg)
In the wake of the incident, it was reported that soybean oil had spilled. Authorities assured that the substance is non-hazardous and recovery efforts are currently underway by specialized crews.
After the incident, Morrison reportedly showed up at the scene intoxicated and was subsequently arrested by deputies with the Giles County Sheriff’s Office, WSLS said, citing sources.
Details surrounding what led to the incident and Morrison’s arrest are not immediately clear.
A trains travel alongside a river. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis)
He was taken to the New River Valley Regional Jail and later released on his own recognizance, according to jail records, the outlet added.
Morrison is the mayor of a small, historic town with a population of roughly 750 people.
A parked patrol vehicle. (Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department)
He reportedly became mayor in November following a write-in campaign. Out of 106 votes cast, 77 residents manually wrote in Morrison’s name, according to local outlet Cardinal News.
His victory follows a recent leadership shakeup in the small community, where five of six Rich Creek Town Council members, as well as the previous mayor appointed in early 2025, abruptly resigned, the outlet reported.
Former Mayor Anne Chambers said her resignation came after internal conflicts and a hostile work environment reached a breaking point, according to Cardinal News.
Fox News Digital reached out to Rich Creek, Giles County Sheriff’s Office and the New River Valley Regional Jail for more information.
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