LOS ANGELES (TCN) — A Florida man has been charged for allegedly starting a fire that eventually became the January Palisades Fire.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, on the night of Dec. 31, 2024, 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht worked a shift as an Uber driver and drove two passengers on separate trips between 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. The passengers reportedly told authorities they “remembered that Rinderknecht appeared agitated and angry.”
Rinderknecht, who formerly lived in the area, allegedly dropped off a passenger in Pacific Palisades before driving toward Skull Rock Trailhead. There, he purportedly tried to contact a former friend, walked up the trail, took videos with his iPhone, and listened to a rap song, which prosecutors said he had listened to “repeatedly in previous days.” The music video “included things being lit on fire.”
At approximately 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, the U.S. Attorney’s office said the Lachman Fire began. Rinderknecht reportedly called 911 several times during the next five minutes but didn’t get through because his cellphone was out of range. He eventually connected with dispatchers at the bottom of the hiking trail and reported the flames, but by that time, an individual in the area had already told authorities about the fire.
Prosecutors allege that Rinderknecht drove off, “passing fire engines driving in the opposite direction.” He reportedly “turned around and followed the fire engines to the scene, driving at a high rate of speed.” Allegedly, Rinderknecht went up the same trail he did earlier and observed the fire and firefighters, taking more videos with his cellphone.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, in an interview on Jan. 24, Rinderknecht lied about his whereabouts to authorities when he first observed the Lachman Fire, claiming he was near the bottom of the trail when he initially saw the fire and called 911. Investigators reportedly obtained geolocation data from Rinderknecht’s cellphone, revealing he was “standing in a clearing 30 feet from the fire as it rapidly grew.”
Authorities said the Palisades Fire was a “holdover” fire, a “continuation of the Lachman Fire that began early in the morning on New Year’s Day 2025.” Firefighters purportedly “suppressed the Lachman Fire,” but unbeknownst to anyone, “the fire continued to smolder and burn underground within the root structure of dense vegetation.”
On Oct. 8, federal prosecutors announced that Rinderknecht, who is now living in Florida, was arrested on a charge of destruction of property by means of fire. Rinderknecht faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli said, “The complaint alleges that a single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades. While we cannot bring back what victims lost, we hope this criminal case brings some measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”
Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division added, “The horrific loss of life and property was significantly felt by ATF members, and we are honored to utilize our expertise to provide answers to this community. We remain committed to serving with integrity and distinction.”
