Three charged in Carr house explosion

Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck’s office has filed charges against three people in connection the Aug. 11 explosion of a house in Carr.

Arrest warrants have been issued for Levi Allen and Clayton Smith on the
following charges:

• Child abuse – Manufacturing a controlled substance, a class 3 felony.
• Manufacturing marijuana concentrate, a class 4 felony.
• Fourth-degree arson, a class 4 felony.

Lavonne Bessler has also been charged with one count of manufacturing a controlled substance, a class four felony, for allowing Smith and Allen to manufacture marijuana concentrate on her property. She is due in Division 11 of the Weld County District Court at 9 a.m. on Nov. 20.

Allen and Smith were attempting to manufacture marijuana concentrate inside Bessler’s home on Aug. 11 when the process caused an explosion that blew out windows and appeared to have lifted the roof off the home, according to police and court reports. Both men were injured and taken to North
Colorado Medical Center in Greeley.

A 7-year-old boy who was in the home was also injured and taken to the hospital. The child told investigators that the men were making “oil that you use to smoke weed” when the explosion occurred, according to police and court reports.

Bessler was not home when the explosion occurred, but had allowed the men to manufacture marijuana concentrate at her home.

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