Accused Palisades Arsonist Faces 3 New Charges

Uber driver Jonathan Rinderknecht was indicted on three new charges, including two felonies.

A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns homes on the Pacific Coast Highway during a powerful windstorm in Los Angeles on Jan. 8, 2025. The wildfire resulted in the death of 12 residents, forced thousands to evacuate their homes, and rendered entire neighborhoods uninhabitable. Apu Gomes/Getty Images

The Florida man accused of igniting the deadly Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles was indicted Oct. 15 on three new charges, including two felonies.

“A federal grand jury today indicted a former resident of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles who is charged with starting in January 2025 what eventually became the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, adding two felonies to his criminal case,” the Justice Department said in a statement.​