A Florida man has been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the destructive Palisades Fire that killed a dozen people in Los Angeles earlier this year, officials said on Wednesday.
The man, identified as 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, was arrested on suspicion of “maliciously” starting the blaze that later became the Palisades Fire, according to acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. A criminal complaint shows that he’ll be charged with Destruction of Property by Means of Fire, but Essayli added that additional charges may be added.
The felony charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, which could last as long as 20 years if convicted.
Officials claimed during a news conference Wednesday that Rinderknecht started the Lachman Fire in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 1. The Lachman Fire was initially limited to about eight acres and didn’t destroy any structures, but investigations revealed that catastrophic Santa Ana winds may have rekindled embers that led to the Palisades Fire beginning near the same location.
“He is charged with starting the Palisades Fire. He started it on Jan. 1,” Essayli said.
The Palisades Fire burned more than 23,000 acres of land in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and the Santa Monica mountains. Twelve people were killed, according to Cal Fire, and more than 6,800 structures were destroyed.
According to Essayli, investigations into Rinderknecht revealed that he was working as an Uber driver in the neighborhood where the Lachman Fire started. After dropping off a rider, he allegedly started the fire on a nearby hiking trail.
Officials did not state Rinderknecht’s alleged motive on Wednesday.
Rinderknecht is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Orlando, Florida, at 1:30 p.m. local time Wednesday.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
