Uber driver cuffed for allegedly starting L.A. Palisades fire

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was arrested on suspicion of maliciously starting the deadly Palisades Fire, Acting U.S. Attorney for Central California Bill Essayli said Wednesday. The fire in January ravaged the Los Angeles area, killing 12 people and burning thousands of homes, especially in the affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Rinderknecht allegedly started the blaze just after midnight on New Year's Day, according to Essayli. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

Rinderknecht allegedly drove to the area as part of his job as an Uber driver and started the fire on a nearby hilltop. Fire monitoring cameras quickly picked it up, and no one else was on the hilltop at the time, Essayli said in a news briefing. While firefighters suppressed the initial blaze, it smoldered underground for a week and then broke out again, becoming the Palisades Fire, he said.

What evidence did authorities have against the suspect? They found artificial intelligence-generated images on Rinderknecht’s personal devices that depicted a burning city, along with geolocation data and other evidence, Essayli said. The suspect also took several videos of firefighters battling the fire he allegedly started. Essayli declined to comment on a motive.

Officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms worked with fire research scientists to recreate the conditions of the blaze. They were confident beyond a reasonable doubt that the suspect started the fire, ATF Los Angeles head Kenneth Cooper said at the news briefing.

What is Rinderknecht charged with? The suspect was charged with destruction of property by means of fire, a felony punishable by five to 20 years in federal prison. He might also receive additional charges, and he made false statements to authorities, Essayli said. Rinderknecht was scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court in Orlando, Fla. on Wednesday afternoon, Essayli said. 

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on California Christians’ response to the Palisades Fire.