A small-town Virginia mayor allegedly showed up intoxicated at the scene of a train derailment and was arrested on the spot, according to local reports.
Rich Creek Mayor Paul Morrison, 57, was cuffed and booked into jail on a public intoxication charge on Tuesday after allegedly arriving inebriated at the scene of a train derailment near the West Virginia border, sources told 10News.
A Norfolk Southern train derailed on Tuesday afternoon, spilling soybean oil into the Bluestone River. Crews worked to contain the non-hazardous material, according to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
Details about what led to the alleged boozed-up mayor’s arrest are unclear. Court records obtained by The Post show he was released from custody on his own recognizance.
Morrison was elected mayor of the tight-knit town with a population of roughly 700 in November — winning roughly 77 out of 106 votes cast in a write-in campaign, 10News reported.
Public officials have not yet commented on the incident. The Town of Rich Creek did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Morrison will return to court in Giles County on July 7, records show.
