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29m ago

Florida Man Arrested, Charged With Igniting New Year’s Fire That Became the Deadly Palisades Blaze

Prosecutors cite cellphone data, video and AI-generated imagery in alleging a New Year’s Day ignition that later flared back during strong winds.

Images: Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli on X / Court documents
Image
FILE - An aerial view shows the devastation left by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, file)
Firefighters watch the flames from the Palisades Fire burning a home on January 8, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Overview

  • Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was arrested in Florida on a federal complaint alleging he started the Lachman Fire that later became the Palisades Fire; he is set to make an initial court appearance in Orlando today.
  • Rinderknecht is charged with destruction of property by means of fire, a felony carrying a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
  • Investigators say he was working as an Uber driver, walked up a Pacific Palisades trail after midnight on Jan. 1 and used an open flame to start the initial brush fire, which smoldered underground and reignited on Jan. 7 during Santa Ana winds.
  • Evidence outlined by officials includes GPS and 911 geolocation placing him about 30 feet from the blaze, iPhone videos, witness accounts of his behavior, repeated viewing of a music video depicting fire, and an AI image he created months earlier showing a burning city.
  • The Palisades Fire killed 12 people, burned roughly 23,000 acres and destroyed thousands of structures; the ATF-led probe logged more than 13,000 pieces of evidence, motive has not been disclosed, and additional charges or grand jury action are possible.