Propane Technician Convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter in LODD House Explosion
A Virginia jury has convicted a former propane technician of involuntary manslaughter in connection with a 2024 house explosion that killed a Loudoun County firefighter and injured more than a dozen others.
The verdict was delivered on July 21, 2025, in Loudoun County Circuit Court. Roger Bentley, a former service manager with Southern States Cooperative, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and three misdemeanor charges related to the improper handling of hazardous materials. He faces up to ten years in prison.
The case arose from a February 16, 2024, explosion at a home on Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling, Virginia. Earlier that day, a Southern States delivery technician had filled the home’s 500-gallon underground propane tank with approximately 125 gallons and reported detecting the odor of gas. Roger Bentley, a service manager, was dispatched to investigate. According to prosecutors, Bentley detected the odor but downplayed the danger, telling the homeowner it wasn’t serious and advising against contacting emergency services. Evidence introduced at trial suggested the tank may have had known defects.
At the time of the blast, firefighters were responding to reports of a gas leak at the residence. Evidence introduced at trial indicated the tank may have had known defects. Firefighters had begun evacuating the home when the explosion occurred. The blast killed Firefighter Trevor Brown and injured others, including Captain Karam Mashaal, who suffered a traumatic brain injury. Brown, 45, was a member of the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company.
Prosecutors argued that Bentley’s conduct demonstrated a callous disregard for human life. They emphasized that his failure to take appropriate action—including discouraging emergency notification and leaving the scene without mitigating the hazard—constituted criminal negligence. The jury deliberated for four days before reaching a unanimous verdict.
The defense maintained that Bentley’s gas detection equipment did not indicate an active leak and that he reasonably believed the scene posed no immediate danger. They also argued that the homeowner had been warned about the tank’s condition in the past and failed to disclose that history. Bentley’s attorneys portrayed him as a scapegoat for systemic failures, noting his nearly four-decade safety record without prior incident.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 6, 2025. Bentley faces up to 10 years in prison.
Meanwhile, a separate civil lawsuit is pending against both Bentley and Southern States Cooperative. The lawsuit, filed by Brown’s widow, several injured firefighters, the homeowner, and neighbors, alleges negligence and seeks compensatory damages for injuries and losses resulting from the explosion. We covered that suit in May, 2025.
