French Fire suspect gets probation, must pay $270K restitution

The man who authorities charged with recklessly starting the 2024 French Fire with his lawn mower pleaded guilty last month to a single misdemeanor charge and will receive a year of probation.

On July 9, as part of a plea deal that fell on his 46th birthday, George Christian Stege IV entered a no contest plea to interference at the scene of an emergency with use of a drone.

Two felony charges of recklessly causing a fire and four misdemeanor charges were dismissed.

Known as a West Plea, Stege did not have to admit guilt or culpability for the fire.

He must still pay court-ordered restitution of $270,004 to four victims: the Mariposa County Unified School District ($65,924), Tim Bryant ($3,850), Sarah Woolsey ($90,000) and Brent Hall ($110,230).

In addition, Hall also has a pending civil suit against Stege for $200,000.

The Mariposa County District Attorney’s Office said it was the best outcome they could hope for with the criminal case under the circumstances.

“The evidence supporting the felony counts was weak; thus the proof of the case was difficult,” said Interim DA Gerard Egan in an email to the Mariposa Gazette.

As Egan explained, the defense had experts who were going to testify that the cause of the fire was the spontaneous ignition and sudden explosion of a Ryobi mower.

“Thus, proving negligence would have been difficult,” Egan added.

In February 2025, seven months after the French Fire, the company that makes Ryobi lawnmowers issued a recall for the mower.

South Carolina-based TTI Outdoor Power recalled 245,500 RYOBI Brushless 21” Cordless Walk-Behind Self-Propelled Multi-Blade Push Mowers due to fire and overheating risks.

The mowers were sold nationwide at Home Depot.

The company said at the time it had received 97 reports of overheating while the mower was in use, five reports of fires and two minor burn injuries.

Owners of the lawnmower were advised they should immediately stop using the mower, check their model and serial numbers inside the battery compartment lid and contact Ryobi to receive a free replacement.

That French Fire began around 6:33 p.m. on July 4, 2024, near French Camp Road and Highway 49 North.

It was a hot day, about 104 degrees, with 14 mile per hour winds at the time of the fire. CAL FIRE recommends not mowing after 10 a.m. in such conditions and not mowing dry brush and grass.

The fire burned 908 acres, destroyed 11 structures and made for a terrifying night in the town of Mariposa, as the blaze jumped Highway 140 on the north end, burned along the eastern perimeter below Stockton Creek, nearly reaching Highway 49 South on the other end of town.

Nighttime helicopters proved invaluable help in fighting the blaze which forced mandatory evacuations for a large swath of homes on the east side of town near Mariposa County High School and burned to the baseball and track fields.

Four firefighters were injured battling the blaze.

“As a fundamental principle, we do not settle criminal cases based on payment of restitution. The action in pleading to the misdemeanor was based on the evidentiary posture of the case alone. Nevertheless, we were able to obtain restitution orders for several persons,” Egan, the interim DA, wrote.

Stege’s attorney,Kevin Rooney, did not return a call or email seeking comment. The Mariposa Gazette was unable to reach Stege.

Stege did not appear in court on July 9, his birthday. He was represented by Rooney.

Judge Anita Starchman-Bryant recused herself from the case because her home was near the French Fire. Her husband Steve Bryant received restitution.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the retired Merced judge assigned the case, John Kirihara, thanked both the prosecutor and the defense attorney, according to a transcript of the hearing.

“I know it’s not always the most — the easiest thing to do — but I think this seems to be a fair resolution to the matter, based on the facts, as I understand them,” Kirihara said.