By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
The father of a Rockwell teen charged with the burning of a historic farmhouse in east Rowan says the fire was an accident.
Korie Allan Karl, 18, was charged this week with burning the unoccupied home at 229 Agner Road.
The incident on Oct. 16 destroyed the entire house that included one portion that was built in 1834.
Glenn Karl said his son and three other young men went to the home.
“He had no business going there. He was trespassing,” Glenn admits.
He said Korie and the other three boys went to the home because they heard it was haunted and wanted to check it out for themselves.
“They wanted to see what all the hoopla was all about,” Glenn said.
He said his son burned the house down accidentally.
Glenn said the group set fire to a twig. He’s unsure of how the house actually caught fire, but he said no accelerants were used.
He also said as far as he was aware, his son was the only one charged with burning the house.
In conversations with the other boys, Glenn said they all told him the fire was not intentionally set.
Rowan County Sheriff’s officials, who charged Korie Karl on Tuesday, had no comment except to say the investigation is ongoing.
Glenn spoke about negative comments from people who have labeled his son an arsonist.
“That does not describe my son at all,” he said.
Korie has not been charged with arson, which under N.C. law would mean the burning of the dwelling must be done willfully and maliciously. It also includes burning a home that is inhabited.
The official charge of burning a building under construction or felony burning certain buildings, which Korie was charged with, includes causing a building to be burned that is intended for use as a dwelling.
According to an arrest warrant, the teen “willfully and feloniously did wantonly cause to be burned an unoccupied house located at 229 Agner Road.”
Glenn added Korie had just enlisted in the Navy. “He signed up for eight years to serve his country,” Glenn said.
The teen planned to make the Navy his career, but that’s all on hold now, his father said.
“It’s going to cost him the rest of his life,” Glenn said.
As of now, he has been discharged from the Navy pending the outcome of his case.
Of the investigation, Glenn couldn’t speak too much, but he did say his son was completely cooperative with investigators.
Korie took the blame for setting the fire, his father said.
Glenn said Korie had never been in serious trouble, and he only had a couple of traffic tickets.
“He’s never been arrested before,” Glenn said. “I know kids get in trouble, but he’s just not one of them.”
Glenn said his son, like all boys, “do stupid things.”
“He didn’t go to maliciously burn this house down,” he said.
Korie graduated last year from East Rowan High School, where he played varsity basketball.
Glenn said he has not seen his son or talked to him since he was placed in jail. However, he said he expects to be able to see Korie on Sunday.
Korie Karl remains in the Rowan County Detention Center. He is scheduled to appear in Rowan District Court on Wednesday morning.
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The two-story, wood-framed house had been vacant for many years, and the windows had been removed. There was no electricity connected to it, initially causing fire officials to believe the fire suspicious.
The house has been known to many as the Phillips place.
Elaine Gilland recently spoke to a Post reporter about growing up in the house. She lived at the house for 19 years.
According to her research, David Barringer operated a saw and grist mill. He built the original part of the house in 1834. Barringer was instrumental in the founding of Providence Methodist Church, where he and his wife are buried.
The Barringers’ youngest daughter married Paul Monroe Phillips, whose herd of Jersey cows produced milk, butter and cream for Salisbury stores. Because of those strong dairy farm days, the house became known by many as the Phillips place.