With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Uber driver charged in connection with starting the Palisades Fire
The Palisades Fire burns near homes in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7.
(
Patrick T. Fallon
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Nine months after the Palisades Fire ignited, killing 12 and destroying more than 6,800 structures, authorities announced that they've arrested and charged 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht in connection to starting the deadly blaze.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida. He has been charged with destruction of property by means of fire, which is a felony that carries a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison.
This undated photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office shows Jonathan Rinderknecht, a suspect in the Palisades Fire.
(
U.S. Attorney's Office
)
Support for LAist comes from
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been investigating since January and has determined that it was a reignition of an earlier fire. Officials said at a news conference Wednesday that Rinderknecht started that fire six days earlier while working as an Uber driver — around midnight on Jan. 1 — after dropping off a passenger.
The 8-acre Lachman Fire didn't spread far as L.A. city and county helicopters made water drops and hand crews cut a fire line, helping to contain the blaze before moving on to mop up. Firefighters then patrolled the burned area to extinguish smoldering stumps, logs and piles of ash, as there was a risk of reignition later.
That's exactly what appears to have happened.
According to Essayli, the fire smoldered underground until strong winds on Jan. 7 caused the fire to surface and spread, becoming one of the most destructive fires on record.
Speculation about the cause of the fire had centered on fireworks, but Essayli said that authorities have no evidence that's the case. Rinderknecht reportedly lived in the Pacific Palisades, but had relocated to Florida since then.
Authorities gave no potential motive. They projected AI images, said to have been generated by the suspect, at a news conference.
Support for LAist comes from
AI-generated images were displayed by federal officials when they announced the arrest of a man in connection with the Palisades Fire.
(
Courtesy U.S. Attorney's Office
)
In a statement, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass thanked federal and local investigators for the work that led to the arrest.
"Each day that families are displaced is a day too long," Bass said, "and as we are working tirelessly to bring Angelenos home, we are also working towards closure and towards justice — and today is a step forward in that process."
The backstory
The Palisades Fire sparked about 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 7, amid a massive windstorm in Southern California. By the time it was fully contained 24 days later, the fire had burned more than 23,000 acres and destroyed more than 6,800 structures and damaging 937 more. Twelve people were killed.
An LAist review of after-action reports released following the January fires and the 2018 Woolsey Fire — which killed three people and destroyed nearly 2,000 structures across L.A. and Ventura counties — found similar shortfalls in L.A. County’s emergency response. The reports offer similar recommendations for how to fix the issues too.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department said comparing the reports wasn't reasonable and told LAist that they are pursuing recommendations from the report on the Eaton and Palisades fires and other changes.
Support for LAist comes from
After the announcement of the arrest in the Palisades Fire, Bass said the Los Angeles Fire Department's after-action report would be released soon.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend. -
The bill would increase penalties for metal recyclers who possess or purchase metal used in public infrastructure. -
The new ordinance applies to certain grocers operating in the city and has led to some self-checkout lanes to shutter. -
Children asked to waive right to see a judge in exchange for $2,500 -
There’s still a lot to be determined as the refinery, which supplies about one-fifth of Southern California's vehicle fuels, works to restore production and as data is collected.
Best of LAist