ALEXANDRIA, Minn. -- The owner of the Blue Smoke BBQ in Alexandria, which shut down three years ago after it was badly damaged in a fire, has been charged with arson.
David Galbraith, 26, of Alexandria was charged in Douglas County District Court Thursday, July 7, with three felonies – conspiring to commit arson in the first degree, theft by swindle and insurance fraud.
The criminal complaint alleges that in August 2013, Galbraith, the co-owner of Blue Smoke BBQ, paid Derrick Bradley, then-manager of the restaurant, money to burn down the building so Galbraith could collect insurance proceeds at a time when the business was failing.
The complaint alleges that as a result of the fire, Galbraith collected more than $266,000 in insurance proceeds.
In a news release, Douglas County Attorney Chad Larson said that Bradley voluntarily came forward with information and cooperated with the investigation.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Without Bradley’s assistance, the Blue Smoke BBQ fire would have forever been considered accident
