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Two men charged with causing explosion at their home, trying to collect insurance money

The TBI Bomb and Arson team, Roane County District Attorney's team, and others were called to investigate.

KINGSTON, Tenn. — Two Kingston men are accused of setting their home on fire in an attempt to collect insurance money, according to the DA.

Thomas Price and Steven Dowker were charged this week with two counts of aggravated arson (Class A felony), insurance fraud > $1,000 and insurance fraud $60,000-$250,000.

Last September, Dowker was injured in an explosion at the home located at 731 Gallaher Road. The blast was captured on the dashboard camera of a Roane County sheriff's deputy and he called it in, getting firefighters on the scene quickly.

They worked through the night fighting several small fires sparked by the explosion. Several nearby homes were damaged by debris from the home, which flew for several hundred yards around it.

District Attorney General Russell Johnson asked the TBI to investigate what caused the explosion. His prosecutors took the evidence before a Roane Co. grand jury that returned a true bill indictment this week.

Both men were arrested and released on a $75,000 bond each. 

Price and Dowker will be arraigned before the Roane County Criminal Court on June 28, 2021.

Credit: Roane Co. Sheriff
Credit: WBIR

Original story

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Kingston Police Department are investigating after a home explosion sent one man to the hospital early Monday morning.

Investigators identified the victim Wednesday as Steven Jaret Dowker, 24, who lived at the home.

A Roane County Sheriff's deputy heard the explosion around 4:15 a.m. and called it in. Multiple emergency crews responded to the home located at 731 Gallaher Road.

Captain Tony Guy with the Kingston Police Department said the explosion destroyed the home and flung debris or several hundred yards around it. Several other nearby homes were damaged.

Guy said Dowker was located on the property and was taken to the hospital, where he was still being treated for his injuries on Wednesday.

The TBI Bomb and Arson team, Roane County District Attorney's team, and others were called to investigate. The cause of the explosion is unknown.

The Kingston Police Department is utilizing a drone to access the large-scale field of debris.  

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