The wife of Johnson County’s top prosecutor admits starting a 30-acre fire during what’s been a disastrous fire season for northern Wyoming, according to court testimony and local law enforcement.
Laura Ruby, 42, wife of Johnson County Attorney Tucker Ruby, pleaded guilty Sept. 16 in Buffalo Circuit Court to violating the county’s June 27 fire and starting the Aug. 21 fire that plumed out of control. She agreed to pay a $70 fine and $70 in court costs by the following day.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday to Cowboy State Daily that the resulting blaze was the 87 Fire, which plumed to 30 acres.
As for the costs fire departments incurred fighting the fire that started on her property on Highway 87, Laura Ruby told the judge she’s already been paying toward those on her own.
“I plead guilty, your honor,” Ruby told Circuit Court Judge Nichole Collier, who filled in for Judge Sheryl Bunting due to the latter recusing herself from the case.
Appointed by the Johnson County Commission, Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen prosecuted the case in place of Ruby’s husband to avoid any conflict.
The day Ruby started the 30-acre fire is also the same day a bolt of lightning set fire to another area of eastern Johnson County. That fire exploded to burn nearly 175,000 acres and run north-south for more than 45 miles, including jumping Interstate 90.
Burn Barrels
Rather than retaining an attorney, pleading not guilty and going to trial, Ruby represented herself while offering her guilty plea.
“We have burn barrels there at my house,” Ruby told the judge, according to a video of the hearing YouTube accountholder “lilibet67” leaked to the site. “I was taking our garbage out to burn it.”
Her kindergarten-age son was with her, as she put trash on the fire and placed grates on top of the barrels. They waited until about half of the garbage had burned down, and her son “was wanting” to go inside. They waited a short while longer, then Ruby took her son back inside, she said.
She busied herself with other tasks in the home, but looked out and saw smoke streaming northward. One of the family’s trees had caught fire, Ruby told the court.
She called 911.
Court documents filed in the case confirm the information presented in the YouTube video.
About Those Costs
The Story Volunteer Fire Department tallied its costs of fighting the fire at $7,185.50, while the Big Horn Fire Department sent a bill for Itzen’s review of $570.50, Itzen told the court.
The fire consumed about 10 acres of the Ruby family property, plus some on a neighboring piece of property, but didn’t burn any structures, the prosecutor added.
Itzen recommended the $70 fine and $70 in court costs the judge ultimately imposed, but he said the judge also could weigh restitution claims if she wished to.
Collier decided not to impose restitution after learning that Ruby had taken that task upon herself.
“I have paid some of the bill from the Story Fire Department,” said Ruby. “I have paid Big Horn – all of that – already.”
Laura Ruby, who told the court she works as a preschool teacher, did not immediately respond Tuesday to a voicemail request for comment.
In response to a resident’s email Aug. 30, Johnson County Sheriff Rod Odenbach said the 87 Fire was reported to his office Aug. 21 off of Highway 87.
“This fire has not been the only report of a suspected fire ban issue this year,” wrote Odenbach in the email. “The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office treats all fire reports with the utmost seriousness, particularly during fire ban periods. Each report is thoroughly investigated, and citations are issued, when applicable, regardless of affiliations of those involved.”
The person who started the 87 Fire was cited Aug. 22, Odenbach added. The date of the fire, the timeframe of the citation and the location of the 87 Fire match Ruby’s citation, court documents and testimony show.
Odenbach did not immediately respond to a Tuesday email request for additional comment.
Itzen sent a brief comment via email Tuesday: “It’s an extremely dry year. All people should be careful with open flames.”
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
