Recently-elected mayor arrested for showing up to a train derailment scene intoxicated

A small town mayor in Virginia was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly showing up to a train derailment scene intoxicated.

Paul Morrison, 57, was arrested after he was recently elected mayor of the small historic town Rich Creek.

The train carrying soybean oil went off the tracks near the Wet Virginia-Virginia border Tuesday.

A train carrying soybean oil derailed Tuesday near the West Virginia-Virginia border, officials said.https://t.co/QzBwZxzY3l

— ABC 13 News – WSET (@ABC13News) April 29, 2026

Thankfully there were no reports of leaked hazardous waste, but the derailment drew some local attention, including Morrison’s.

Deputies from the local Giles County Sherriff’s Office took Morrison into custody at the scene with no further details released.

Small-town Virginia mayor arrested for allegedly showing up drunk to scene of train derailment Paul Morrison, 57, was elected mayor of Rich Creek, a tiny town with a population of roughly 700 in November — winning roughly 77 out of 106 votes cast in a wr… https://t.co/1skUWCMHHw pic.twitter.com/NJKc49Cpqd

— UnfilteredAmerica (@NahBabyNahNah) April 29, 2026

He was later released on his own recognizance, Fox News Digital reported.

The small town of town 750 is not without political scandal and Morrison’s arrest comes after five Rich Creek town Council members and the previous members abruptly resigned in 2025.

“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 reported.

Rich Creek, Giles County Sheriff’s Office and the New River Valley Regional Jail have not yet responded to Fox News Digital for comment.

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