The arrest comes after a nine-month investigation into the blaze, which killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the hillside community.
A firefighter douses hot spots on homes destroyed along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Jan. 8, 2025. A 29-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 7, on suspicion of igniting a blaze that led to the Palisades fire — which killed 12 people and damaged or destroyed thousands of structures during an uncommon windstorm that swept through Southern California, federal authorities announced on Wednesday, Oct.
8, in a downtown Los Angeles press conference. Jonathan Rinderknecht was charged in a federal complaint with starting the Lachman fire, a small blaze in the Pacific Palisades area, on New Year’s Day, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said. Despite the fire being put out by firefighters, it “continued to smolder and burn underground within the root structure of the dense vegetation” — reigniting on Jan. 7 during heavy winds to become the Palisades fire, “one of the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history,” he said. Rinderknecht faces a federal charge of destruction of property by means of fire, which carries a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. He accused of dropping off an Uber customer and then setting the blaze. How he allegedly did so was not disclosed. The fire was ignited with an “open flame,” Essayli said, adding that Rinderknecht was a resident of the Pacific Palisades and had a friend who lived in the area at the time he started the fire. He moved to Florida and lives in Melbourne there. Essayli said it’s possible that Rinderknecht could face additional charges. Witnesses told authorities he was driving for Uber that night and appeared “agitated and angry,” Essayli said. Rinderknecht allegedly listened to a rap song accompanied with a music video that shows objects burning, then walked up the hillside and started the fire.He then initially fled in his car but turned around and went back when he saw firefighters. He allegedly took video of firefighters battling the blaze on his phone. In an interview with authorities, Rinderknecht allegedly lied to authorities and said he was farther down the hillside, but his cellphone location record shows he was standing above the fire, 30 feet away, at the time he called 911, Essayli said.The Palisades fire ignited about 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 7, sending firefighters to the Palisades hillside as winds howled at upward of 80 mph. By the time it was contained on Jan. 31, the fire had scorched more than 23,000 acres and had damaged or destroyed more than 7,000 structures. Initially, investigators looked into a theory of a previous fire on New Year’s Day in the area of Skull Rock, a popular hiking area, reigniting. Los Angeles city firefighters had said the Lachman fire was started by fireworks in the area shortly after midnight, but fire officials reported they had stopped forward progress of that blaze around 3:30 a.m. and, about an hour later reported that firefighters had fully contained the fire. By Jan. 17, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had sent a team of 15 investigators from around the country to probe the cause of the Palisades fire, with one team handling analysis at the scene and another focusing on gathering external information, including surveillance footage, digital evidence and witness statements.More than 20 arrested at Mongols biker gathering in Palm SpringsAfter 40 years, Airtel Plaza Hotel at Van Nuys Airport to close its doorsUSC sold dead bodies to Navy for Israel Defense Forces medical training program Hollywood Burbank Airport travelers faced delays Monday evening while air traffic control tower was unstaffedMore than 20 arrested at Mongols biker gathering in Palm Springs31,000 nurses, hospital staff to strike against Kaiser
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