Jonathan Rinderknecht, the 29-year-old man arrested for "maliciously starting" the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles earlier this year, was working as an Uber driver in the neighborhood at the time of the blaze.
According to a federal criminal complaint, on January 1, 2025, Rinderknecht dropped off a passenger and then allegedly started a fire on a hiking trail in Pacific Palisades. The initial blaze, known as the Lachman Fire, burned about eight acres and did not destroy any structures.
However, strong Santa Ana winds may have reignited embers from the area, eventually fueling the larger and far more destructive Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and became one of the most devastating in Los Angeles history.
Passengers say he was "angry"
Two passengers who rode with Rinderknecht that day later told investigators that he appeared “agitated” and “angry” during his shift.
At a press conference Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said Rinderknecht fled the scene after starting the fire but later returned to watch it burn.
“He left as soon as he saw the fire trucks were headed to the location. He turned around and went back up there. And he took some video and, and watched them fight the fire,” Essayli said.
{{/usCountry}}“He left as soon as he saw the fire trucks were headed to the location. He turned around and went back up there. And he took some video and, and watched them fight the fire,” Essayli said.
{{/usCountry}}Arrested in Florida
Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested in Florida on Tuesday and is expected to make his initial appearance in US District Court in Orlando at 1:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.
He faces charges including malicious destruction by means of fire, a federal felony that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years if convicted, according to CBS News.
In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), Essayli said, “While we cannot undo the damage and destruction that was done, we hope his arrest and the charges against him bring some measure of justice to the victims of this horrific tragedy."