A man could spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of arson for sparking the 2024 Park Fire, one of the largest wildfires in California history.
Ronnie Dean Stout II, 44, was found guilty Friday – exactly two years after the Park Fire was sparked – on multiple felony counts, including aggravated arson. Prosecutors said he intentionally pushed a burning vehicle into a ravine near Bidwell Park in Chico on July 24, 2024, igniting flames that quickly spread through dry vegetation.
Stout faces a potential sentence of 25 years to life in state prison. His sentencing is set for October 9.
The Park Fire ultimately burned more than 429,000 acres across Butte, Tehama, Plumas and Shasta counties, making it the fourth-largest wildfire in California history.
The blaze destroyed more than 713 structures, including 427 homes, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Cal Fire. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate as firefighters battled the wildfire for nearly two months before it was fully contained.
During the three-day trial, prosecutors presented surveillance video and witness testimony that they said showed Stout pushing a burning vehicle down an embankment moments before flames erupted in Bidwell Park, where Cal Fire investigators determined the fire originated.
Stout was accused of spending the day of the incident drunkenly harassing people at a popular swimming area before recklessly driving his 2007 Toyota Yaris through Upper Bidwell Park. After the car became stuck, witnesses testified he repeatedly revved the engine until it caught fire, then got out and pushed the burning vehicle into a ravine, where it ignited dry vegetation.
Stout walked away as the wildfire began to spread, authorities said. Witnesses photographed him fleeing the scene, helping investigators identify him. A Cal Fire investigator testified that when he spoke with Stout by phone, Stout showed little remorse, repeatedly asking, “What did I do wrong, bro?” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Stout’s defense attorneys argued that he never intended to ignite a wildfire and that prosecutors failed to prove he acted with the criminal intent required for an aggravated arson conviction. Because Stout waived his right to a jury trial, Butte County Superior Court Judge Kristen Lucena alone decided the case. She deliberated for just 15 minutes after closing arguments before returning a guilty verdict.
Stout has a lengthy criminal history spanning more than two decades. In 2001, he was convicted in Butte County of molesting a child under 14 and served a year in jail, the LA Times reports. A year later, he was convicted in Kern County of robbery and inflicting great bodily injury, receiving a 20-year prison sentence.
After being released on parole, he was arrested in 2020 on suspicion of driving under the influence near Upper Bidwell Park.
