By Brian Brant
(PALM SPRINGS, Calif.) A Southern California couple whose gender reveal party sparked a deadly wildfire that killed a firefighter, injured two other firefighters and burned more than 22,000 acres in September 2020 is facing criminal charges, according to The New York Times.
Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr. and Angela Renee Jimenez were indicted on Tuesday on separate counts of involuntary manslaughter, 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.
The couple, who sparked The El Dorado Fire after using a smoke bomb for their gender reveal, pleaded not guilty and were released without having to post bail.
Jason Anderson, San Bernardino County’s district attorney, announced the charges on Tuesday and said if convicted the couple could face years in jail.
Anderson also correlated the couple's actions on the death of 39-year-old firefighter, Charles Morton.
“Obviously, he wouldn’t have been out there if this hadn’t started in the first place,” Anderson said. “He’s fighting a fire that was started because of a smoke bomb. That’s the only reason he’s there.”
The New York Times reports about half of wildfires sparked are caused by people, including downed power lines, cigarettes and campfires, while the other half is caused by lightning.