The mayor of Spencer, Idaho is facing felony insurance fraud charges after a preliminary hearing this week resulted in his case being bound over to district court, where he will stand trial on allegations that he submitted false documents to inflate the value of a damaged boat during an insurance claim.

Who Is Involved

David Dwyane Price, 62, was sworn in as Spencer’s mayor on January 26. Less than three weeks later, on February 13, the state filed a felony insurance fraud charge against him. The charge stems from a claim Price filed with Idaho Farm Bureau in April 2024 after a 2005 Northwest Jet boat sustained damage.

Deputy Attorney General Sam Camp handled the case for the state, presenting five witnesses at the preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Wiley Dennert. Defense attorney Ronald Swafford represented Price.

The Disputed Documents

The core of the fraud allegation centers on sharply conflicting accounts of what Price originally paid for the boat — and documentation that prosecutors say does not add up.

Price submitted a handwritten bill of sale to Idaho Farm Bureau indicating he purchased the boat on January 12, 2022, for $215,000. However, Idaho Department of Motor Vehicles records showed the boat was purchased for just $20,000. A third figure came from the boat’s original owner, Aaron Eckert, who testified that he sold the vessel to Price for $86,500.

Eckert also cast doubt on the bill of sale itself. “This is not my handwriting on there,” he said. “Someone else wrote out the details of what was done, I think, after the fact.”

The $195,000 gap between the bill of sale figure and the DMV record forms the foundation of the state’s fraud allegation against Price.

The Insurance Claim

After the boat was damaged in 2024, Price filed a claim with Idaho Farm Bureau on April 29 of that year. A repair estimate from Precision Inc. placed the cost of restoring the boat at $149,793.20. Farm Bureau ultimately determined the vessel was a total loss and extended a settlement offer of $110,000 cash, with the insurer retaining the boat.

The discrepancy between the bill of sale Price provided and the records uncovered by investigators prompted the fraud referral that led to charges being filed.

Defense Arguments

Swafford challenged the prosecution’s case at the preliminary hearing, suggesting the documents in the file were inconsistent in ways that complicated the state’s narrative. “If you go through the file, you’ll find that it talks about two or three different boats, two or three different VIN numbers,” Swafford said, implying that confusion in the record could undermine the charge.

Magistrate Judge Dennert nonetheless found sufficient probable cause to send the case forward, binding Price over to district court for trial.

What Comes Next

With the case now in district court, Price will face formal arraignment and eventually a trial or plea proceeding at that level. He remains mayor of Spencer in the meantime, as no removal mechanism has been publicly announced. The felony charge, if it results in a conviction, would carry significant consequences under Idaho law both personally and for his ability to hold public office.

The case adds to a run of serious criminal matters playing out across Idaho’s local governments and communities. Earlier this year, a Canyon County registered sex offender received a 45-year prison sentence on child sexual exploitation charges, while law enforcement agencies around the state have been focused on leadership and accountability at the county and municipal level.

Price’s next court date has not been publicly announced. The case is being prosecuted by the state Attorney General’s office through Deputy AG Sam Camp.