In 1993, James Robert Scott, an American from Quincy, Illinois, was convicted of causing a massive flood of the Mississippi River at West Quincy, Missouri, as part of the Great Flood of 1993. His actions led to the inundation of 14,000 acres of farmland, the destruction of buildings, and the closure of a major bridge.

Scott’s criminal history included multiple arrests for burglary and arson. Notably, he had previously burned down his elementary school and a garage, resulting in a seven-year prison sentence. By 1993, Scott was out on parole and working at a Burger King in Quincy.

During the flooding of the Mississippi River in mid-July 1993, Scott and other residents were reinforcing the West Quincy levee. On the night of July 16, the levee unexpectedly failed, causing a catastrophic flood. The floodwaters washed out all bridges in the area, leaving the only links across the river for 200 miles. The Bayview Bridge was out of service for 71 days, and several businesses in West Quincy were destroyed.

Scott was accused of intentionally causing the levee to fail to prevent his wife from returning home, allowing him to continue partying. He was convicted of “intentionally causing a catastrophe,” a criminal statute in Missouri, and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. Scott remains imprisoned at the Jefferson City Correctional Center.

Despite his conviction, Scott maintains his innocence, arguing that the evidence against him was circumstantial and insufficient to prove his guilt. Soil scientists and engineers have also questioned the plausibility of a single person causing the levee to fail, suggesting that natural factors were more likely responsible.