Palisades Inferno: Arson Suspect Indicted on Two New Felonies as Death Toll, Destruction Mount
Palisades Inferno: In the criminal prosecution he was already facing in federal court, the man who was detained on suspicion of intentionally starting the fire that would ignite one of the most catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles history was indicted on three counts linked to arson on Wednesday, in addition to two felonies.
Palisades Inferno: Rinderknecht Charged with Deadly Arson
The 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht is charged with “maliciously” starting a fire on January 1 that was swiftly put out but smoldering under thick vegetation. A week later, the fire rekindled in the face of strong winds and exploded into a massive conflagration that destroyed the affluent Pacific Palisades seaside community and claimed 12 lives.
After being taken into custody in Florida earlier this month, Rinderknecht was first charged by federal prosecutors in a criminal complaint with one count of destroying property by fire, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
A three-count indictment was delivered by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles on Wednesday, accusing Rinderknecht of destroying property and two other felonies: one act of arson affecting property utilized in interstate commerce and one case of wood set afire.
If convicted as charged, he would face a required minimum term of five years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of 45 years behind bars, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to the DOJ, Rinderknecht, who is still detained without bail, is anticipated to enter a plea at his arraignment, which is anticipated to take place in the next weeks in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
By filing an indictment, federal prosecutors avoid the need to go before a judge in a preliminary hearing to prove they have enough evidence to establish probable cause to go to trial.
The Palisades fire was one of the most destructive in Los Angeles history, destroying about 6,000 buildings and causing $150 billion in property damage. It also happened to coincide with the Eaton Fire, a massive wind-driven fire that destroyed a large portion of the Altadena community about 35 miles (56.3 km) to the east.
Prosecutors claim that on New Year’s Eve, Rinderknecht was driving for Uber when he dropped off a customer and went to a hilltop path close to Pacific Palisades, where he used to reside. When he arrived, he allegedly listened to a rap song whose music video showed objects being lit on fire. Shortly after midnight, he started a real fire and left the area, only to come back a short while later to see the firemen and flames.