Man who caused bonfire explosion will not face jail, prison

FOND DU LAC (AP) -- A man who caused a bonfire explosion that hurt seven people won't be going to jail or prison.

26-year-old Kyle DeRuyter avoided a possible 15-year prison sentence and received seven years of probation Wednesday, October 3rd in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court.

Judge Dale English ordered DeRuyter to write letters of apology to each of the victims, pay restitution and do 20 hours of community service each year on probation.

The West Bend man was found guilty of injury by negligence. A criminal complaint says DeRuyter dropped a five-gallon can of gas on a bonfire in Campbellsport in June 2011, causing the explosion that injured his friends.

District Attorney Dan Kaminsky agreed with the defense that prison or jail time was not needed.