Dale Warner Trial Reveals 2 Key Welding Details

Witnesses describe farm operations, tank maintenance procedures, and tools seen on video at the Munger Road property.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Dale Warner trial continued on February 20 with detailed testimony about welding equipment, anhydrous ammonia tanks, and surveillance footage from April 25, 2021. Witnesses Ivan Boyd and James Hawkins provided information about farm operations, tank maintenance procedures, and tools seen on video at the Munger Road property.

Why it matters

The testimony and evidence presented in the Dale Warner trial aims to shed light on the events leading up to an incident on the Warner farm in April 2021. The details about welding, anhydrous ammonia tanks, and surveillance footage are crucial in understanding the case against Dale Warner.

The details

Ivan Boyd, a former employee of the Warner farm and trucking operation, testified about his duties, which included trucking deliveries, fertilizer application, fieldwork, and general maintenance. He said welding typically occurred in the 'old shop' and sometimes in the 'new shop', but not in the spray barn. Boyd described anhydrous ammonia tanks as steel containers weighing up to 15,000 pounds loaded, and said precautions were taken when filling them. James Hawkins testified he was responsible for servicing the tanks and preparing them for use, and said he had never cut the end off a field tank.

  • The Dale Warner trial continued on February 20, 2026.
  • The trial will resume on February 24, 2026.

The players

Dale Warner

The defendant on trial.

Ivan Boyd

A former employee of the Warner farm and trucking operation who testified about his duties and observations.

James Hawkins

A mechanic who testified about his responsibilities for servicing and preparing anhydrous ammonia tanks.

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What they’re saying

“He described the mother and nurse tanks storing anhydrous, the fill and vapor valves and the 85 percent fill threshold monitored by gauge. Hawkins said he had never cut the end off a field tank and could not think of a reason to do so.”

— James Hawkins, Mechanic (wlen.com)

“Boyd testified he worked 70 to 80 hours per week during planting and harvest seasons and described Dale Warner as laid back and not prone to losing his temper. He said he did not observe anything unusual on April 25, 2021, and did not recall seeing Warner working on a tank that day.”

— Ivan Boyd, Former employee (wlen.com)

What’s next

The Dale Warner trial will continue with additional witness testimony and further review of surveillance footage and physical evidence as proceedings move forward in Lenawee County Circuit Court next week.

The takeaway

The testimony and evidence presented in the Dale Warner trial so far provide important details about the farm's operations, maintenance procedures, and the tools and activities observed on the property around the time of the alleged incident. These details will be crucial in understanding the prosecution's case against Dale Warner.