Particle.news
Download on the App Store
73 ARTICLES
·
1h ago

Florida Man Arrested, Charged With Starting Blaze That Led to Deadly Palisades Fire

Prosecutors say geolocation data, witness accounts and other digital forensics tie Jonathan Rinderknecht to a New Year’s Day ignition that smoldered before erupting into the January catastrophe.

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.
Image

Overview

  • Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was taken into custody in Florida and was scheduled for an initial federal court appearance in Orlando on Wednesday.
  • He is charged with destruction of property by means of fire, a federal felony carrying a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
  • Investigators allege he set a small brush fire on Jan. 1 that was initially knocked down but persisted underground and resurfaced during Santa Ana winds on Jan. 7.
  • Evidence cited includes cellphone location data placing him about 30 feet from the ignition point, witness statements from Uber passengers, surveillance video, 911 records, and an AI-generated image recovered from his devices.
  • Authorities report 12 deaths and more than 6,800 structures destroyed in the Palisades Fire, note extensive ATF-led testing and evidence collection, and say inquiries continue, including into the separate Eaton Fire's cause.