Overview

• Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was taken into custody on suspicion of starting a New Year’s Eve fire near Pacific Palisades that later reignited on January 7.
• Investigators say he worked as an Uber driver who had just dropped off passengers in the area before the initial blaze.
• Geolocation data reportedly placed him about 30 feet from the ignition point as he attempted to report the fire to emergency services.
• Authorities say they recovered images depicting a burning city that he allegedly generated with artificial intelligence in the weeks before the blaze.
• Officials report 31 deaths and thousands of homes lost in the January fires, and they say no clear motive has been identified as the case moves toward court.