A 29-year-old Uber driver has been arrested in connection with the Palisades Fires, which ravaged Los Angeles and left thousands of homes destroyed back in January. Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, is accused of starting a brush fire on January 1 that was initially put out but then smoldered undetected for days before reigniting and fueling the massive Palisades blaze.
Firefighters had managed to put out the initial blaze, but it flared up again about a week later, tearing through Pacific Palisades and destroying more than 6,000 homes and buildings in the affluent coastal area. Rinderknecht, who reportedly lived in the area at one time, is accused of starting the devastating fire.
Nabbed After Months
Rinderknecht, reportedly, started the fire near a popular hiking trail on the hillside of a state park overlooking the neighborhood around 12:12 a.m. He then left the scene and called 911 to report the fire, authorities said.
The Palisades Fire broke out around the same time as the Eaton Fire, which killed 19 people, though officials have not yet revealed the cause of that blaze.
Both fires devastated the region for weeks, leaving entire neighborhoods in ruins. Investigators questioned Rinderknecht shortly after the blaze, but he reportedly lied to them.
He was finally arrested in Florida on Tuesday and will be returned to California to face trial.
Rinderknecht is reportedly fixated on dystopian imagery and consumed by "despair and bitterness," and is accused of "maliciously" starting the Palisades Fire — the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history — which killed 12 people and caused an estimated $150 billion in damages, Federal authorities claim.
"The complaint alleges that Rinderknecht's started a fire in Pacific Palisades on New Year's Day -- a blaze that eventually turned into one of the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history, causing death and widespread destruction," Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli said.
"Among the evidence that was collected from his digital devices was an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city."
No Way Out
Rinderknecht has been charged with felony destruction of property by means of fire, a crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and could result in up to 20 years behind bars.
According to the criminal complaint, Rinderknecht's two Uber passengers on the night of December 31, 2024, noticed that he appeared agitated and angry.
Later that evening, around 11:28 p.m., investigators say he listened to a song by French artist Josman, whose lyrics and music video contain themes of despair and bitterness and show the artist setting things on fire.
Rinderknecht reportedly played the song nine times over four days and watched the video three times during that same period.
Officials said he made multiple unsuccessful 911 calls on January 1 after starting the fire. He initially fled the scene but later returned to the same hiking trail to watch the fire burn. During an interview with investigators, he lied about his whereabouts, claiming he was at the bottom of the trail.
Authorities first spoke with Rinderknecht on January 24, and he told them he had been in the area on January 1 and did not see anyone else around. Investigators ruled out other potential causes, including fireworks, lightning, power lines, or a cigarette, concluding that none of these sparked the fire.
