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Man Convicted of Starting Park Fire | San Jose News
Ronnie Dean Stout Jr. was found guilty of intentionally starting the catastrophic Park Fire, which scorched 430,000 acres and destroyed over 400 homes—by allegedly pushing a burning car into a ravine. Convicted without a jury under California’s three-strikes law due to two prior offenses, he now faces 25 years to life. The prosecution’s case hinged on witness Elizabeth Fox’s testimony, which the judge deemed credible despite defense claims of her unreliability. Scientific arguments about the car rolling on its own were dismissed, and the judge emphasized community witnesses’ vital role…
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