Paul Morrison, the 57-year-old mayor of Rich Creek, Virginia — a small town of roughly 750 people — was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly arriving drunk at the scene of a local train derailment, according to Fox News.
A Norfolk Southern Railway train derailed in the afternoon near Rich Creek, which sits on the Virginia–West Virginia border.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection confirmed the incident, noting that portions of the wreck occurred inside West Virginia.
The train spilled soybean oil in the derailment, though officials identified it as non-hazardous and said cleanup crews were already working on recovery.
After the derailment, Morrison reportedly showed up at the scene while intoxicated. Deputies from the Giles County Sheriff’s Office arrested him on a public intoxication charge.
Morrison transported to the New River Valley Regional Jail but was later released on his own recognizance.
Morrison is a recently elected mayor, having won his position in November through an unusual write-in campaign. Of 106 ballots cast, 77 residents wrote in his name by hand. His election came on the heels of significant local turmoil — five of six Rich Creek Town Council members, along with a mayor who had been appointed earlier in 2025, had all abruptly resigned. Former Mayor Anne Chambers cited internal conflicts and a hostile work environment as her reason for leaving.
The full circumstances surrounding what led to Morrison’s arrest remain unclear.
Morrison has yet to comment on the arrest at the time of publication.