Rich Creek Mayor Paul Morrison arrested for public intoxication at train derailment

The Mayor of Rich Creek, Virginia, was taken into custody on Tuesday after allegedly appearing intoxicated at the scene of a train derailment near the West Virginia border.

Paul Morrison, 57, was arrested by the Giles County Sheriff’s Office on suspicion of public intoxication while emergency crews worked to contain a spill.

Video footage from the site near Glen Lyn shows Morrison, dressed in a plaid shirt, interacting with first responders and law enforcement officers shortly before he was placed in handcuffs.

The derailment occurred at approximately 4:52pm, involving roughly a dozen train cars carrying non-hazardous soybean oil. While some oil leaked from the carriages, officials confirmed the spill was contained, and no injuries or evacuations were necessary.

Morrison, who was elected through a successful write-in campaign in November, was later released from jail on his own recognisance.

The incident has caused a significant local stir in the small town of approximately 700 residents, where Morrison had previously enjoyed strong community support.

On Thursday, 30 April, the Town of Rich Creek released a formal statement from the Mayor on Facebook, in which he expressed profound remorse for his actions.

"I would like to offer apologies for my state and any actions on 04/28 at the railroad incident," Morrison stated, adding that he regretted the embarrassment caused to the town.

He assured residents that such an incident would not occur again and indicated that neither he nor the town council would provide further comments.

The underlying cause of the train derailment remains under active investigation by transport authorities.