Small-town Virginia mayor reportedly arrested for allegedly showing up drunk to train derailment

A recently elected mayor of a small town in Virginia was arrested Tuesday after allegedly showing up to a train derailment site while intoxicated, according to local reports.

Paul Morrison, the 57-year-old mayor of Rich Creek, was taken into custody on a charge of public intoxication, WSLS reported, citing jail records. 

The train derailment occurred in the afternoon near Rich Creek, which sits along the border of West Virginia and Virginia, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) said.

The agency added that portions of the incident were reported inside West Virginia and that the train belonged to Norfolk Southern Railway.

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Contaminants of soybean oil had reportedly leaked. Officials confirmed it was considered non-hazardous and that crews are conducting recovery operations. 

After the incident, Morrison reportedly showed up intoxicated and was subsequently arrested by deputies with the Giles County Sheriff’s Office, WSLS said, citing sources.

Details of what led to the incident and Morrison’s arrest are not immediately clear.

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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.

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He reportedly became mayor in November after 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.