Man arrested over deadly Pacific Palisades fire in California
A man has been arrested in connection with a deadly wildfire that destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood in Los Angeles, California.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was detained for allegedly starting a fire on New Year’s Day that burned down much of the wealthy area a week later, acting US attorney Bill Essayli said.
The blaze, which erupted on 7 January, killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes and buildings in the Pacific Palisades, a wealthy coastal neighbourhood. It burned down mansions with views of the ocean and central Los Angeles.
Rinderknecht allegedly started the fire after finishing his shift as an Uber driver.
Videos of the fire taken on his phone and 911 calls were among the evidence connecting him to the fire, Mr Essayli said.
The fire was put out initially, but it continued to smoulder underground before reigniting during high winds a week later, he added.
Rinderknecht fled the scene of the original fire, but returned to the same trail where he had been earlier to watch it burn, according to Mr Essayli.
During an interview with investigators he lied about his location when he noticed the fire, claiming he was near the bottom of the hiking trail, Mr Essayli said.
Aerial video shows scale of LA fire destruction
Mr Essayli did not say how investigators believe Rinderknecht started the fire.
Rinderknecht was arrested in Florida on Tuesday and will appear in court in the state on Wednesday.
He faces between five and 20 years in prison if convicted, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
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“While we cannot undo the damage and destruction that was done, we hope his arrest and the charges against him bring some measure of justice to the victims of this horrific tragedy,” Mr Essayli said.
The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, said: “More than nine months ago, our city faced one of the most devastating periods our region had ever seen. Lives were tragically lost. Thousands of homes were destroyed.
“Our heroic firefighters fought the blaze valiantly with no rest. Each day that families are displaced is a day too long and as we are working tirelessly to bring Angelenos home, we are also working towards closure and towards justice – and today is a step forward in that process.”
Investigators are still to determine the cause of the Eaton Fire, which broke out the same day in the community of Altadena and killed 18 people.
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