An Uber driver was arrested in Florida for allegedly starting the deadly Palisades wildfire that killed 12 people and caused $150 billion in damages.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was arrested at his home in Melbourne, Florida on Tuesday. He will be extradited to California to face arson, property damage and mass murder charges.
Rinderknecht appeared in a Florida court on Wednesday and told the judge he is not mentally ill. He is set to appear in federal court in Florida on Thursday.
The wildfire began on January 1, 2025, destroying 23,000 acres and more than 6,000 buildings and structures.
Investigators used surveillance, digital images and Geolocation data to build their case against Rinderknecht.
Two passengers who got into his Uber after celebrating New Year’s Eve told investigators that Rinderknecht was “agitated and angry”.
Rinderknecht dropped off his final passenger in the early hours of January 1, then proceeded to park his vehicle and walk up a hiking trail in Topanga State Park.
As he reached a hilltop, the suspect attempted to call a former friend, then he listened to a rap song about arson.
“He exited the car, walked up a nearby trail, took iPhone videos at a nearby hilltop, and listened to a rap song, whose music video included objects being lit on fire,” said Bill Essayli, Acting U.S. Attorney, at a press conference Wednesday.
After the fire began, Rinderknecht called 911 to report the blaze before fleeing the scene.
He eventually returned and recorded with his iPhone as firefighters battled the blaze.
The brush fire was initially contained by firefighters. But Rinderknecht set another fire after they left, and he called 911 again.
“During his interview, he lied about where he was when he first saw the Lachman fire, claiming he was at the bottom of the hiking trail,” said Essayli.
“Geolocation data for the 911 calls showed that he was standing above the fire in a clearing nearly 30 feet from the blaze as it rapidly grew,” said Essayli.
The fires destroyed homes belonging to Tina Knowles, Keyshia Coles, Willow Smith, Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, James Woods, John Goodman, Miles Teller, Hunter Biden, and Leonardo DiCaprio, Kawhi Leonard, and more.
Investigators said Rinderknecht lived in Pacific Palisades at the time of the fire and later moved to Melbourne, Florida.
If convicted, he faces a maximum 20-year sentence.
