A man accused of setting a small blaze that reignited into the deadly Palisades Fire had two felony counts added to his case, raising his potential sentence to 45 years in prison if convicted, authorities said Wednesday.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was indicted on one count of destruction of property by means of fire; one count of arson affecting property used in interstate commerce; and one count of setting timber on fire.
The latter two charges were added this week by a federal grand jury, raising his potential maximum sentence from 20 to 45 years, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. The former Pacific Palisades resident was arrested Oct. 7 near his home in Florida and remains in federal custody.
Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht started what became known as the Lachman Fire in the early morning on Jan. 1 in the Palisades Highlands after working a late-night shift as an Uber driver. Two of his passengers later told investigators that he appeared agitated and angry.
After dropping off one rider, Rinderknecht parked his car, failed to reach a former friend, and hiked up a nearby trail, where he recorded iPhone videos and repeatedly watched a rap video showing fire scenes.
Rinderknecht soon attempted to call 911 but got no service, authorities said. Phone records placed him in the area, where he allegedly returned to film as firefighters arrived to battle the blaze.
The initial fire was contained, smoldered underground in the root system of dense brush, Essayli said. On Jan. 7, high winds reignited the embers into what became the Palisades Fire — the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles history.
Rinderknecht described the origin of the fire and appeared visibly anxious during a Jan. 24 interview, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators later found a barbecue-style lighter in his car, which he admitted carrying up the hill that night, that matched one in his apartment.
Federal prosecutors also allege that Rinderknecht’s ChatGPT search history included questions about whether a cigarette could ignite a fire and an AI-generated image of a burning forest with people fleeing.
More to come …
