Fatal Air Attack 410 Plane Crash - 15 years in state prison

The Tulare man linked to the death of a Air Attack pilot and a Cal Fire Battalion Chief in the Sierra 2 1/2 years ago was sentenced today to 15 years in state prison.

Patrick Ryan Courtney, 31, had pleaded no contest to four felony counts and special allegation connected with the four fires believed started Sept. 3, 2006.

Three days later, a reconnaisance plane checking the spread of the fires crashed, killing Cal Fire Battalion Chief Rob Stone, 36, of Exeter, and the pilot, Sandy Willett, 52, of Hanford.

The Tulare County District Attorney's office said Courtney admitted starting two fires to keep himself warm. He denied setting any others, although fire officials said four had been set.

Patrick Ryan Courtney
Sentenced to 15 Years for arson Fires, Deaths of two Firefighters

By: John Heil, Public Affairs, U.S. Forest Service

VALLEJO, Calif., April 2, 2009 - The Honorable Judge James Hollman today sentenced Patrick Ryan Courtney, 31, from Tulare, to 15 years in prison for starting fires on National Forest System land.

Courtney previously entered a No Contest plea to four separate counts of Unlawfully Causing a Wildfire. Additionally, Courtney admitted to two special allegations under Penal Code section 452.1 in which he admitted to causing great bodily injury or death to a firefighter and causing a great bodily injury to more than one victim. Along with these charges, Courtney admitted to having a prior conviction of attempted murder in 1995 and having served a prison term for that offense.

On September 3, 2006, the defendant walked into the Bear Creek Drainage near the Balch Park Campground on the Sequoia National Forest. On the evening of September 3, 2006 firefighters began battling a wildland fire located in the lower end of the Bear Creek Drainage, and the suppression efforts continued into the next day. The next morning of September 4, the Defendant walked into the Mountain Home conservation camp located about 1.5 miles from where he entered and just downstream from where the fire suppression efforts where ongoing. When questioned about the wildland fire, the Defendant initially admitted to lighting one fire, then later admitted to lighting a second as well. Prior to entering his pleas in the case, the Defendant denied starting any other fires.

Over the course of the next few days, firefighters continued to battle separate fires, all of which were contained in the Bear Creek Drainage. In an effort to determine the origin of these additional fires as well as locate any possible other fires, CAL FIRE officers utilized a reconnaissance style airplane (Air Attack 410). During the reconnaissance flight of the canyon on September 6, 2006, Air Attack 410 crashed, killing the pilot, Sandy Willett, 52, and Battalion Fire Chief Rob Stone, 36. A total of four fires were located and all were determined to be of human origin and not accidental.

The case was prosecuted by Supervising Attorney Timothy Ward along with Investigator Domingo Flores from the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigations. The U.S. Forest Service and CAL FIRE jointly investigated into the origin of the fires as well as the deaths of Willett and Stone.

"Fighting fire is inherently dangerous work," said Regional Forester Randy Moore. "We feel for the families who lost loved ones, and we're pleased that the responsible individual is being held accountable for fires that resulted in two firefighter deaths and an overall increase in risks our firefighters face."

"CAL FIRE lost two extraordinary men," said CAL FIRE Director Del Walters. "The devastation and loss caused by this heinous act has had a profound effect on so many of us."

The fires burned about six acres of federal lands.