Responsibility

**JABIII** · 07-21-2021, 09:48 AM

Couple whose gender reveal sparked deadly wildfire face manslaughter charges

By Jesse O’NeillJuly 21, 2021 | 12:20am | Updated

A California couple whose gender reveal pyrotechnic show started a massive inferno that killed a fireman last year have each been hit with involuntary manslaughter charges.

Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr. and Angela Renee Jimenez pleaded not guilty to the felony charge and 29 other counts related to the September 2020 El Dorado Fire on Monday, officials said.

The wildfire was allegedly started by the couple’s smoke-generating pyrotechnic device that ignited dry grass at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains, 75 miles east of LA.

The Jimenezes tried to put out the blaze with bottled water, but it was quickly stoked by strong winds and dry conditions, authorities said.

The El Dorado Fire, which took more than two months to contain, killed Charles Morton, 39, leader of the elite firefighting Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Squad, and injured 13 others.

The blaze destroyed five homes and 15 other buildings, led to hundreds of evacuations and ultimately affected some 36 square miles.

The Jimenezes were released on their own recognizance, despite prosecutors’ request that they each be held on $50,000 bail, and are due back in court at the end of summer, according to the Desert Sun.

In addition to the manslaughter charge, the couple faces three felony counts of recklessly causing a fire with great bodily injury, four felony counts of recklessly causing a fire to inhabited structures and 22 misdemeanor counts of recklessly causing fire to property, the paper said.

The couple faces more than 20 years behind bars if convicted of all counts, according to the report.

The incident was not the first time a gender reveal stunt sparked destructive fires.

Earlier this month, an explosive device set off at a baby welcoming party sparked a wildfire in Canada.

In 2017, an expectant Arizona dad was fined $8 million for setting off an inferno that destroyed nearly 48,000 acres (75 square miles) during a gender reveal stunt that was caught on camera.

https://nypost.com/2021/07/21/deadly...ughter-charge/

**BigBrother** · 07-21-2021, 09:53 AM

Gender reveal parties a fucking gay.

That said...

It would be real nice if they'd focus on the policies that create wildfire opportunities.

Saw a video the other day of a group of kindergartners in Oregon chanting "tree killers" and "save the trees" led by their teachers to a group of men cutting down some dying and high risk pines over the power lines going into their little school.

The Gods must be Crazy.

**Southernduck** · 07-21-2021, 10:08 AM

Federal land management of the past 40 years is an absolute disaster. No grazing and no logging coupled with putting out every little fire has lead us to where we are.

**Jozie & Me** · 07-21-2021, 10:10 AM

Hmmmmm. When will BLM and Antifa be held to the same standard?

**FEETDOWN** · 07-21-2021, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Jozie & Me

Hmmmmm. When will BLM and Antifa be held to the same standard?

Lulz

**Gander** · 07-21-2021, 10:32 AM

People just need to stop the gender reveal parties. This crap got started by women who love to get together to try to make each other jealous. Its stupid, just like baby showers and wedding showers. That's the result of having too much time on your hands.

That said, the wildfires are the result of poor land management. The media would like you to believe its all due to global warming. There have always been wild fires. And the media refuses to report that many of them are being caused by homeless people. Its poor land management and homeless people. Its always been hot and dry out west.