A small-town mayor in Virginia was arrested for public intoxication after he allegedly showed up drunk at the scene of a train derailment. Paul Morrison, the mayor of Rich Creek, was taken into custody on Tuesday, according to New River Valley Regional Jail records cited by 10News.
Morrison was seen wearing a purple plaid shirt while interacting with emergency crews and law enforcement at the derailment site near the West Virginia border. He was arrested by deputies from the Giles County Sheriff's Office on suspicion of public intoxication, an unnamed source told the outlet.
On Thursday, Morrison issued an apology on the town's Facebook page, stating he was 'truly sorry to have let you down and can assure you that nothing like this will happen again.' He added that he regretted any inconvenience or embarrassment caused.
Rich Creek is a small community with a population of fewer than 800 people, located about 70 miles west of Roanoke. Morrison was elected mayor in November through a write-in campaign, receiving 77 of the 106 votes cast after the previous mayor resigned in August. He has lived in Rich Creek since 1999 and served on the town's planning commission since 2006.
Video from the scene showed Morrison leaning on a fire department truck and speaking with a police officer before his arrest. A magistrate later released him on his own recognizance. The town of Rich Creek declined further comment.
The train derailment involved a Norfolk Southern train near the West Virginia-Virginia state line. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that 13 of the 129 cars derailed, with one car carrying gas-powered and electric vehicles entering the East River stream. Another car contained about 200,000 gallons of soybean oil, of which 14,000 gallons spilled onto nearby soil but not into water. The derailed car was set to be removed.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Morrison, the Giles County Sheriff's Office, and the Town of Rich Creek for further comment.
