A 29-year-old man was in custody Wednesday in Florida for allegedly sparking the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed much of the exclusive community.
Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida, and he was expected to appear in court in that state Wednesday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, Rinderknecht allegedly started a fire in the Palisades area shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day, a blaze that became known as the Lachman Fire. The Los Angeles Times reported previously that the fire was believed to have been ignited by fireworks. Essayli would not confirm that report, saying only that the blaze was started with “an open flame.”
Fire officials contained the fire about three hours later and it was eventually believed to have been doused. But Essayli said Wednesday “continued to burn and smolder underground.”
On Jan. 7, “heavy winds caused this underground fire to surface and spread above ground, causing” what eventually became the Palisades Fire, Essayli said.
Essayli said Rinderknecht was initially interviewed by authorities on Jan. 24, and during that interview, “he lied about where he was” when he reported seeing the Lachman Fire burning on Jan. 1. Essayli said cell phone data showed that Rinderknecht was far closer to the blaze than he claimed to be.
The Palisades Fire burned 23,448 acres and destroyed much of the exclusive community, killing 12 people.
The fire was one of two wind-driven blazes that started on Jan. 7. Together with the Eaton Fire in Altadena, near Pasadena, at least 30 people were killed, more than 16,000 structures were destroyed and nearly 60,000 acres were burned.
Essayli said Rinderknecht lived in the Pacific Palisades area at the time and was familiar with the area.
He was charged with one count of destruction of property by means of fire, a charge that could land him in prison for up to 20 years.