Lenoir City man sentenced after Blount County deputy’s fatal crash in December

BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — The Lenoir City man charged in connection with the death of Blount County Deputy Justin Mowery has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Dalton Bowman, 24, pleaded guilty on Friday to evading arrest that resulted in the death of a law enforcement officer, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, simple possession of methamphetamine and driving on a suspended license – subsequent offense. He was sentenced to 20 years on the first count, 10 years on the second count, and 11 months and 29 days for the last two counts. All of the sentences will be served at the same time. On December 28, 2025, 30-year-old Blount County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Justin Mowery died in a car crash. He collided with a utility pole while attempting to stop a motorcyclist who didn’t pull over. Investigators identified the motorcyclist as Bowman, and he was charged. Following the sentencing, Mowery's mother, Donna Mowery, made a statement to the court. "I am Justin's voice today since he could not be here. All life is precious, and each day we have the freedom to make multiple choices. It can be a simple decision that impacts just your life or the lives of many. And we hopefully learned there are bad decisions that should hold us accountable for our own actions. I believe that Justin would tell you to always make good choices. I know that he did his best to live in that manner. I'm not the one that can offer you peace, and I do pray that you find it through Jesus," said Donna Mowery. Bowman also faces a theft charge in Loudon County connected to the crash. He was allegedly riding a stolen motorcycle when Mowery attempted to pull him over. He was arraigned in January for this charge.