A 42-year-old man was arrested Thursday and accused of pushing a burning car into a ravine that sparked the massive Park Fire, an ongoing blaze that has burned more than 120,000 acres in California, authorities said.
Ronnie Dean Stout, II, of Chico, California, was seen pushing a car that was on fire into a ravine near a swimming pool in Bidwell Park shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday, Butte County District Attorney Michael L. Ramsey said in a statement.
“The car fell into an embankment of approximately 18 meters and burned completely, spreading flames that caused the fire in the Park,” he said.
It was not immediately clear Thursday night whether Stout had an attorney.
Butte County is about 80 miles north of Sacramento. The fire, which has been named the Park Fire, is California’s largest active wildfire.
The fire spread to more than 120,000 acres by Thursday night, Lime Fire reportEd. Only 3% were contained.
Stout has two prior convictions for “strike” crimes that will be charged along with any arson charge determined, prosecutors said.
He was convicted in 2001 in Butte County Superior Court of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14. Stout also was convicted in 2002 in Kern County Superior Court of robbery with great bodily injury and sentenced to 20 years in state prison, prosecutors said.
Authorities said that after pushing the car into the embankment, Stout was seen “calmly exiting the area, mingling with other citizens who were in the area and fleeing the rapidly evolving fire.”
A warrant for Stout’s arrest was issued Thursday morning, Ramsey said. The suspect was booked into the Butte County Jail, where he is being held without bond until his arraignment Monday, Ramsey said.
Wildfires raged throughout California and the West, aided by extremely high temperatures, prompting evacuations, forcing road closures and polluting the air.
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