Acting United States Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli announces that a Florida antheral has been arrested connected charges that helium intentionally ignited the Pacific Palisades Fire, arsenic Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell stands down him, during a property league successful Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 8, 2025.
Daniel Cole | Reuters
Federal authorities announced Wednesday that they person arrested and charged a Florida antheral with maliciously starting the Palisades Fire, 1 of the astir destructive fires successful Los Angeles history.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, is charged with demolition of spot by means of fire, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office successful Los Angeles.
Rinderknecht was arrested connected Tuesday. The Melbourne nonmigratory is expected to look successful tribunal aboriginal Wednesday.
The Palisades Fire in aboriginal January burned thousands of homes and killed aggregate radical arsenic flames dispersed rapidly successful dense winds up to 100 miles per hour.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posts representation successful the apprehension of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht connected a transgression ailment charging him with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire successful January.
Source: @USAttyEssayli | X
Authorities said that witnesser statements, video surveillance, cellphone data, and investigation of occurrence dynamics and patterns astatine the country showed that Rinderknecht maliciously acceptable the Lachman Fire conscionable aft midnight connected January 1 connected onshore owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, an enactment that received national funding.
A week later, the aforesaid occurrence – which by past had go known arsenic the Palisades Fire – burned national property.
"The ailment alleges that a azygous person's recklessness caused 1 of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting successful decease and wide demolition successful Pacific Palisades," Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli said successful a statement.
"While we cannot bring backmost what victims lost, we anticipation this transgression lawsuit brings immoderate measurement of justness to those affected by this horrific tragedy," Essayli said.
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