In March 2025, an explosion destroyed a dental office in Evergreen, Alabama, a small town near the Florida border.
Nearly a year later, the dentist who owned the building—once regarded locally as both highly successful and well liked—is now behind bars, accused of intentionally setting the fire and committing insurance fraud.
According to arrest warrants filed in Conecuh County District Court, Dr. Douglas P. O’Connor, who will turn 56 in February, is charged with knowingly defrauding his property insurance company by concealing material information. A second warrant alleges that O’Connor deliberately set the fire that damaged the Hillcrest Drive building where his dental practice operated.
The warrants were signed by a special agent with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. The State Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed on social media that the investigation lasted approximately 10 months.
O’Connor turned himself in on Friday and is currently being held at the Conecuh County Jail.
Fire officials were unavailable for comment Tuesday, and authorities have not yet released additional details regarding the alleged arson or insurance fraud. Information about the insurance company covering the property and business has also not been disclosed.
Robert Bozeman III, publisher and editor of the Evergreen Courant, said investigators quickly determined the fire was suspicious. “The building literally exploded,” Bozeman said.
O’Connor, who lists a residence in Troy, Alabama—about 75 miles from Evergreen—was reportedly near the dental office at the time of the explosion. He sustained burns and drove himself to the hospital in his Tesla, according to Bozeman.
Bozeman said he has known O’Connor since he purchased the dental practice years earlier and noted that the arrest shocked many in the community. The practice was popular, and O’Connor was viewed as someone who maintained a healthy lifestyle.
“It was a very successful practice,” Bozeman said. “That’s what really surprised me.”
Court documents do not specify a motive for the alleged crimes. Bozeman speculated that financial pressure may have played a role. “Maybe he just got overloaded,” he said. “Something like that usually comes down to money.”
The dental office was located on Hillcrest Drive, adjacent to an Alabama State Troopers office on one side and a liquor store on the other, near Interstate 65. An employee at the liquor store said the explosion occurred around 9:30 p.m. and did not cause damage to the store. Bozeman said video footage of the blast may exist from nearby buildings.
According to recent annual reports from the Fire Marshal’s Office, Alabama recorded 14 arson-related arrests in both 2023 and 2024.