US EditionProsecutors Push Back on Claim that Technician on Trial in Sterling House Explosion Is ‘the Fall Guy’
STERLING, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA, JUL 7 – Roger Bentley faces involuntary manslaughter charges after a leaking propane tank caused an explosion killing one firefighter and injuring 13 others, prosecutors said.
- On February 16, 2024, a 500-gallon underground propane tank leak caused a house explosion on Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling, Virginia, killing firefighter Trevor Brown and injuring 11 others.
- The explosion occurred after several reports of propane odors, during which technician Roger Bentley inspected the leak and reassured homeowner Kelley Woods that there was no immediate danger.
- Woods testified she smelled gas for hours and trusted Bentley’s judgment even after a neighbor alerted the fire department, while the defense emphasized the tank's long history of leaks and homeowner’s role.
- Defense attorney John Boneta stated, “It was not Roger Bentley’s fault,” arguing Bentley did not smell a strong odor and was being scapegoated for a broader failure involving Southern States Cooperative.
- Bentley faces involuntary manslaughter charges and if convicted could serve up to 10 years, while a multimillion-dollar negligence lawsuit was filed by Brown’s family and others against Southern States and employees.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Is propane technician a 'fall guy?' Opening arguments commence in Sterling home explosion trial
Loudoun County prosecutors on Tuesday told jurors former propane technician Roger Bentley may not have intended for a Sterling home to explode in February 2024, killing volunteer firefighter Trevor Brown, “but that doesn’t mean he’s not responsible.”
Propane tech stands trial in Virginia house explosion that killed firefighter
A former employee of the company that provided fuel for the propane tank blamed for a fatal Virginia house explosion is standing trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge. A leak from the 500-gallon underground propane tank caused the explosion that destroyed the house on Silver Ridge Drive Feb. 16, 2024, and killed 45-year-old volunteer firefighter Trevor Brown, the Loudoun County...
Prosecutors push back on claim that technician on trial in Sterling house explosion is ‘the fall guy’
Loudoun County prosecutors told jurors that former propane technician Roger Bentley may not have intended for a Sterling, Virginia, home to explode in February 2024, killing volunteer firefighter Trevor Brown, “but that doesn’t mean he’s not responsible.”
Trial begins for propane technician charged in fatal Virginia home explosion
A trial is now underway for Roger Bentley, the propane technician charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection to a 2024 house explosion that killed a Loudoun County volunteer firefighter and injured 13 others.
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