GILES CO., Va. – The mayor of the small town of Rich Creek was arrested on a charge of being drunk in public.
According to information from the New River Valley Regional Jail’s inmate database, 57-year-old Paul Morrison, the mayor of Rich Creek, was taken into custody by deputies from the Giles County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday. The charge is public intoxication.
A source told 10 News that Mayor Morrison showed up intoxicated at the scene of a train derailment near the West Virginia border. Details about what happened at the site or what led to the arrest have not been released at this time.
Jail records show that a magistrate released Morrison on his own recognizance after the arrest.
Morrison was elected mayor in November through a write-in campaign, winning 77 out of 106 votes cast. Rich Creek is a small community, with a population of about 700 people.
At this point, there’s no word from Morrison or town officials about the incident.
Stay with 10 News as this breaking news story continues to develop.