Feds Arrest Suspect Accused Of Starting Palisades Fire

It has been roughly 10 months since California wildfires laid waste to the LA County area, especially in Altadena, Pasadena, and Pacific Palisades, the latter in which more than two dozen people lost their lives. On Wednesday, federal authorities in Los Angeles said they have identified a suspect in the Palisades fire that claimed 12 lives, a 29-year-old man who appeared to be obsessed with fire.

According to the New York Times, Jonathan Rinderknecht of Melbourne, Fla., was arrested and charged with destruction of property by means of fire, and was scheduled to make his first appearance Wednesday in United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

“A single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen,” Bill Essayli, the acting United States attorney in Los Angeles, said in a statement.

Officials say Rinderknecht, who was working as an Uber Driver at the time, intentionally set a fire on New Year’s Day after dropping off a passenger and driving to a hiking trail in the Santa Monica Mountains. It was a small blaze, but it reportedly rekindled a week later and resulted in a disaster that killed  12 people and destroyed 6,837 structures, most of which were people’s houses.

Apparently, his media consumption provided evidence of his fire obsession. It also appears that he did try to alert the authorities to the fire he allegedly started.

From the Times:

He then parked, tried to call a former friend and walked up the trail taking videos with an iPhone, listening on YouTube to a French rap video featuring a character setting things on fire. Then, federal authorities alleged, he set a fire himself with an open flame and called 911 to report it, but did not initially get through because he could not get cell service. As firefighters rushed to the scene, prosecutors said, he used his phone to take videos of the response.

The ensuing brush fire consumed eight acres before Los Angeles firefighters declared that it had been contained several hours later. On Jan. 7, however, a gathering windstorm reignited buried embers that had continued to smolder unbeknown to fire crews who had intermittently scoured the area for hot spots for two days.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Rinderknecht’s arrest “marks an important step toward uncovering how the horrific Palisades fire began and bringing closure to the thousands of Californians whose lives were upended.”

“This tragedy will never be forgotten — lives were lost, families torn apart, and entire communities forever changed — and there must be accountability,” Newsome said in a statement.

The arrest came as a result of a 10-month federal investigation, which was only one of about half a dozen investigations conducted by local, state and federal authorities since the wildfires began. A 133-page report commissioned by Los Angeles County was released late last month and was the first review of the case to be published. Newsome is expected to release more information regarding the investigation soon.

As for Rinderknecht, who was previously a resident of Palisades, it’s unclear if he has an attorney or if he will face any additional charges.

SEE ALSO:

LA County Lawmaker Wants Audit To Examine Eaton And Palisades Fire Responses

California Burning: Views Of The Los Angeles Wildfires In 10 Devastating Photos