BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — The man arrested on suspicion of starting the Park Fire, the largest wildfire in California this year, by pushing a burning car into a gully made his first appearance in court Monday and was charged with willful and malicious arson.
Ronnie Dean Stout II had a previous criminal record, according to the Butte County District Attorney’s office.
If convicted, this would be his third felony, and he would be automatically sentenced to 25 years to life in prison as someone with three felonies under California’s “three strikes law.” The Butte County District Attorney’s Office said Stout has two prior strikes for sex crimes and robbery with great bodily injury.
District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the charge also includes the allegation that there have been over 100 structures destroyed between Butte and Tehama counties due to the fire.
Prosecutors said witnesses saw Stout push the burning car down an embankment and then calmly blend among people fleeing the area.
According to Ramsey, Stout said the incident was accident that happened after he pulled his car off the road and found himself in the grass when the fire started. Stout was allegedly scared and left the area, and he denies the witness statement that he pushed the car into a gulley, according to Ramsey.
However, Ramsey said the evidence tends to be stronger with the witnesses' account.
"Described in detail how he pushed that car off into the gully, saw the vehicle careened down into the gulley and burst into flame, which then of course caused this monster that is called the Park Fire," Ramsey said.
Witnesses also said Stout was drinking nearby before the incident, according to Ramsey. He said there were indications that he was highly intoxicated at the time.
Ramsey said, if prosecutors can't prove that Stout pushed the car, he'd still be facing an 11-year sentence.
The Park Fire has grown to 370,000 acres and has impacted parts of four Northern California counties.
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