The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California has charged a Florida man with allegedly starting the Palisades wildfire. In January, the fire destroyed a large portion of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, becoming one of the most destructive blazes in Los Angeles history.
On Tuesday, authorities arrested Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, and charged him with destruction of property by means of fire.
“The complaint alleges that a single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades,” Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “While we cannot bring back what victims lost, we hope this criminal case brings some measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”
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Events leading to the fire
According to the Department of Justice, while working as an Uber driver on Dec. 31, 2024, Rinderknecht appeared agitated to passengers. After dropping off passengers in Pacific Palisades, he went to a trailhead, attempted to contact a former friend and filmed videos on his phone.
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The Palisades Fire killed 12 people and destroyed 6,837 structures.
At 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2025, the Lachman Fire ignited. Rinderknecht attempted to call 911, but his cell phone was out of range. By the time he connected, someone else had already reported the fire. He originally fled the scene, only to quickly return and film the fire, watching as firefighters responded.
Prosecutors also cited digital evidence “including the defendant’s ChatGPT prompt of a dystopian painting showing in part a burning forest and a crowd fleeing from it,” Essayli said. Rinderknecht also reportedly asked ChatGPT several questions pertaining to the criminal implications of starting a fire.
In a Jan. 24, 2025, interview with authorities, the DOJ says Rinderknecht falsely claimed he saw the fire from the bottom of the trail. However, geolocation data showed he was just 30 feet from the Lachman fire as it spread.
Fire spread and investigation
According to the DOJ, the Palisades Fire was a “holdover” from the Lachman Fire on Jan. 1, 2025. Firefighters thought they had quickly put it out; however, it continued to smolder underground, hidden in vegetation roots. On Jan. 7, strong winds reignited it above ground. The resulting fire became known as the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed 6,837 structures.
If convicted, Rinderknecht faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Officials are still investigating the cause of the Eaton Fire, which began on the same day as the Palisades Fire. The Eaton Fire killed 19 people and destroyed 9,414 structures.
