A former convict has been arrested for sparking the Park Fire, California's largest wildfire of the year, which has now ravaged over 164,000 acres. Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42, from Chico, California, was detained on Thursday morning at his home, according to the Butte County District Attorney's Office.
Stout is accused of initiating the massive blaze on Wednesday by pushing a burning car into a gully at Bidwell Park near Chico. The vehicle, which allegedly belonged to Stout’s mother, plunged 60 feet down an embankment and burned to ashes, igniting surrounding vegetation and prompting extensive evacuations. As of Friday morning, the fire was only 3% contained, with evacuations affecting around 4,000 residents in Butte County and 400 in Chico, according to the New York Post.
A group of young women, who wish to remain anonymous, reported encountering Ronnie Dean Stout II before the devastating Park Fire began in Bidwell Park, according to CBS news.
The Butte County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Stout, arrested for allegedly igniting the blaze, was seen pushing a burning car into a gully. He was then observed calmly departing the scene, blending in with other evacuees.
The women described their unsettling encounter with Stout. They were at a swimming hole in Bidwell Park when a man in his 40s approached them. “He was also just slurring his words a lot,” one of the women noted, adding that he made strange comments and appeared intoxicated. After a bystander intervened, the man left them alone.
The women later saw the fire and initially didn’t connect it to their encounter. However, upon recognising Stout in a social media photo, they contacted the police with their observations. They described the experience as terrifying, noting it took nearly three hours to return home amidst the flames.
The fire's rapid spread was accelerated by gusty winds, dry conditions, and low humidity, with the blaze quickly outpacing firefighting resources. “The fire quickly began to outpace our resources because of the dry fuels, the hot weather, the low humidities and the wind,” said Butte County Fire Chief Garrett Sjolund.
Authorities noted that Stout, who has a criminal record including convictions for lewd acts with a child and robbery with great bodily injury, blended in with fleeing parkgoers to escape the scene. He is now facing arson charges and has two prior “strike” felony convictions. Under California's "Three Strikes and You’re Out" law, he could face life imprisonment if convicted of this latest charge.
District Attorney Mike Ramsay confirmed that enhancements for great bodily injury or death are still under consideration. Stout’s prior criminal record includes a 20-year prison sentence for robbery and a 2020 DUI arrest.
The Park Fire has already resulted in minor injuries and the destruction of an unspecified number of structures. The ongoing investigation continues as authorities work to control the blaze and assess the full impact of the devastating fire.
Stout is accused of initiating the massive blaze on Wednesday by pushing a burning car into a gully at Bidwell Park near Chico. The vehicle, which allegedly belonged to Stout’s mother, plunged 60 feet down an embankment and burned to ashes, igniting surrounding vegetation and prompting extensive evacuations. As of Friday morning, the fire was only 3% contained, with evacuations affecting around 4,000 residents in Butte County and 400 in Chico, according to the New York Post.
A group of young women, who wish to remain anonymous, reported encountering Ronnie Dean Stout II before the devastating Park Fire began in Bidwell Park, according to CBS news.
The Butte County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Stout, arrested for allegedly igniting the blaze, was seen pushing a burning car into a gully. He was then observed calmly departing the scene, blending in with other evacuees.
The women described their unsettling encounter with Stout. They were at a swimming hole in Bidwell Park when a man in his 40s approached them. “He was also just slurring his words a lot,” one of the women noted, adding that he made strange comments and appeared intoxicated. After a bystander intervened, the man left them alone.
The women later saw the fire and initially didn’t connect it to their encounter. However, upon recognising Stout in a social media photo, they contacted the police with their observations. They described the experience as terrifying, noting it took nearly three hours to return home amidst the flames.
The fire's rapid spread was accelerated by gusty winds, dry conditions, and low humidity, with the blaze quickly outpacing firefighting resources. “The fire quickly began to outpace our resources because of the dry fuels, the hot weather, the low humidities and the wind,” said Butte County Fire Chief Garrett Sjolund.
Authorities noted that Stout, who has a criminal record including convictions for lewd acts with a child and robbery with great bodily injury, blended in with fleeing parkgoers to escape the scene. He is now facing arson charges and has two prior “strike” felony convictions. Under California's "Three Strikes and You’re Out" law, he could face life imprisonment if convicted of this latest charge.
District Attorney Mike Ramsay confirmed that enhancements for great bodily injury or death are still under consideration. Stout’s prior criminal record includes a 20-year prison sentence for robbery and a 2020 DUI arrest.
The Park Fire has already resulted in minor injuries and the destruction of an unspecified number of structures. The ongoing investigation continues as authorities work to control the blaze and assess the full impact of the devastating fire.
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