BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — The man accused of starting the Park Fire in Butte County will make his first court appearance Monday.
Ronnie Dean Stout II was arrested last week for allegedly pushing a burning car down a gully at Upper Bidwell Park in Chico.
He remains in the Butte County Jail, but on Monday, he will learn what charges Butte County prosecutors will file as the Park Fire shows no signs of slowing down.
Prosecutors accused Stout after a witness posted a video on TikTok, saying he lit the vehicle on fire.
“She then saw him get into the vehicle, do something with the vehicle and get out of the vehicle and then push the flaming vehicle into the embankment,” said Mike Ramsey, Butte County District Attorney. “He is booked on suspicion of intentional arson.”
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Ramsey said the vehicle belonged to Stout’s mother and the witness felt that Stout was acting strange.
“You really have to prove it. You are going to look for things that he may have said,” said Mark Reichel, a Northern California defense attorney.
Reichel is not connected to this case, but last year, he helped father-son duo Davis and Travis Smith avoid criminal charges after being accused of recklessly starting the 2021’s Caldor Fire.
“I think what you are going to look for here is whether or not the District Attorney's Office charges with intentional, which is a different Penal Code Section 451. Intentionally starting it, versus just recklessly starting it or negligently starting it,” Reichel said. “Intentional, you intended the natural consequences of your actions, you desired this to happen. The sentences for that are much higher.”
Reichel agrees this is a fluid situation as the Park Fire continues to burn.
“There are enhancements in the codes for how many properties were hurt, how many people were injured, was there great bodily injury for just one person or many people? Those are the things that are actually sentencing enhancements that can send you away to prison for even longer than the original charge,” he said.
Reichel said it will be difficult for both sides to prove their case, as the erratic Park Fire continues to devastate several counties.
“It is maddening we are here again. It is particularly maddening that this fire was caused by an individual,” said Kory Honea, Butte County Sheriff.
Stout is not eligible for bail. The Butte County District Attorney’s Office said Stout has two prior strikes for sex crimes and robbery with great bodily injury.
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