{"id":4194,"date":"2026-07-10T14:10:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T14:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=4194"},"modified":"2026-07-10T14:10:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T14:10:47","slug":"park-fire-two-years-later-trial-set-for-man-accused-of-starting-californias-4th-largest-wildfire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=4194","title":{"rendered":"Park Fire: Two years later, trial set for man accused of starting California\u2019s 4th largest wildfire"},"content":{"rendered":"
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OROVILLE \u2014 After nearly two years of delays, the trial of the man charged with causing a destructive fire in 2024 will begin later this month.<\/p>\n

Read more American Airlines delayed my flight, so I drove. Why can\u2019t I get a refund?<\/a><\/p>\n

The case of Ronnie Dean Stout II will be heard starting July 20, just four days short of the two-year anniversary of the ignition of the Park Fire in 2024.<\/p>\n

RELATED: DA: Arson suspect reportedly \u2018heavily intoxicated\u2019 before Park Fire ignition<\/strong><\/p>\n

The wildfire ultimately burned 430,000 acres, destroying 700 structures, including much of Cohasset as well as homes in Forest Ranch.<\/p>\n

Stout allegedly bushed a burning car into a brush-filled ravine in upper Bidwell Park on July 24, 2024, which triggered the blaze.<\/p>\n

He was arrested early in the morning following the fire, and has been in custody ever since.<\/p>\n

But court proceedings have been delayed nine times at the request of the defense. Trial dates had been set twice before, but then cancelled.<\/p>\n

But Thursday when Judge Kristen Lucena asked the prosecution and defense if they would be ready to go on July 20, both said yes.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

There is some question about how long the trial will last. Lucena said the dates of July 20, 21, 24, 27 and 28 were available. Public Defender Nicole Diamond said she didn\u2019t think it would take that long. Prosecutor Marc Noel said he could present the state\u2019s case with \u201ctwo witnesses or 40 witnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both sides will meet to agree to \u201cstipulations\u201d which will determine how many witnesses will be necessary, which will determine how long the trial will run.<\/p>\n

Read more 15-year-old boy raped outside home in New York, suspect pictured<\/a><\/p>\n

Outside of court Noel explained the stipulations could cover things like the Highway Patrol\u2019s analysis of the burnt car. If the defense agrees to stipulate that the written report is acceptable as evidence, it won\u2019t be necessary to call a CHP investigator up from Sacramento to take the stand.<\/p>\n

The fact Lucena will be deciding the case makes things simpler, he said. Stout earlier waived his right to a jury trial, leaving the decisions in the judge\u2019s hands. \u201cA jury trial takes lots of witnesses,\u201d Noel said.<\/p>\n

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Stout is charged with intentional arson, which counts as a \u201cstrike\u201d under California\u2019s three-strikes law. He already has two prior strikes, so a third conviction would result in a term of 25-years-to-life in state prison.<\/p>\n

However Stout maintains he didn\u2019t push the car into the ravine. If so, he could still be convicted of reckless arson. That would not ordinarily be a strike, but one of Stout\u2019s prior strikes is a so-called \u201csuper strike\u201d the 25-to-life sentence would still apply.<\/p>\n

In July 2024 District Attorney Mike Ramsey said witnesses had seen Stout drinking at the Bear Hole in upper Bidwell Park on the afternoon of July 24, 2024. He was reported to have been highly intoxicated when he sped off toward town on Upper Park Road.<\/p>\n

Ramsey said the car went off the gravel road about a half-mile later, near the Alligator Hole. The car became high-centered, and Stout\u2019s efforts to free the vehicle caught the grass underneath it on fire. The fire subsequently spread to the car.<\/p>\n

A witness then reportedly saw Stout push the car into a brushy ravine, triggering the larger fire. Stout denies pushing the car into the ravine.<\/p>\n

Noel said with a judge rather than a jury, the trial can focus on the legal issues. \u201cHere the issue is, how did he cause it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Slain Oakland city employee remembered as devoted family member<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After nearly two years of delays, the trial of the man charged with causing a destructive fire in 2024 will begin later this month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nPark Fire: Two years later, trial set for man accused of starting California\u2019s 4th largest wildfire - Next City Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=4194\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Park Fire: Two years later, trial set for man accused of starting California\u2019s 4th largest wildfire - 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