Posted on 10/08/2025 11:55:53 AM PDT by Navy Patriot
Authorities in California charged a 29-year-old man with "malicious destruction' for allegedly starting a deadly fire that erupted into the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles history and destroyed much of the wealthy Pacific Palisades neighborhood, officials announced Wednesday.
Federal law enforcement officials accused 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht of lighting a fire on New Year’s Day that was initially extinguished by fire crews, but continued to smolder underground before reigniting during high winds, acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.
Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida, where he moved after the fire, and is due to appear in court Wednesday. He faces charges including malicious destruction by means of a fire. Aisha Nash, the federal public defender assigned to represent Rinderknecht, has not responded to Associated Press requests for comment.
Rinderknecht fled the scene of the original fire, but returned to the same trail to watch it burn, Essayli said.
“He left as soon as he saw the fire trucks were headed to the location. He turned around and went back up there. And he took some video and, and watched them fight the fire,” Essayli said
Rinderknecht also made several 911 calls to report the fire, according to a criminal complaint.
During an interview Jan. 24, Rinderknecht told investigators where the fire began, information not yet public and that he would not have known if he hadn’t witnessed it, the complaint said.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
He will be pounding out license plates a long time to pay back the estimated $28 billion to $53 billion in damages. Some estimates put the total damages at $250–275 billion which encompasses damage, loss of life, healthcare, and widespread business disruptions across all fires.
Since the fires that he started killed about a dozen people, he should at the very least be charged with voluntary manslaughter as well as with arson.
Yup... But Global Warming caused him to light that fire.
Unfortunately, he isn’t too different from most of his generation - self-absorbed, social media obsessed, etc. It’s a very small step from all too typical narcissism to psychopathic criminal behavior.
No, the French Laundry won't let Newscum use either of the restrooms where the valve is, he keeps trying to crawl under the doors of occupied stalls.
It was worth every penny to see them flee the wading pool. (Not even knee deep)
How ‘bout murder for the dead?
Ideally he would be charged with murder, but it’s almost impossible to prove intent to kill in a brushfire arson that eventually spreads to houses, as opposed to setting fire to a specific house. As I mentioned earlier, the best we can hope for is probably voluntary manslaughter charges.
After the trial I’m guessing time served, an ankle bracelet for a minimum 6 weeks and anger management classes.
Some years ago ther was a fire here. A fireman lost his life fighting the blaze and when the person who started the fire was apprehended, he was charged with murder
👍
From the article: “If convicted, Rinderknecht would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison”.
Uh, how about there were 12 people who died in that fire? Nothing?
His middle name is Patsey
Definitely death penalty. Those 7000 homes destroyed not only the house, but
the contents too—family memories, pictures of loved ones, lifetimes of memories.
The human dead—lives unfinished, lives yet to be lived, children yet to be born,
gone, all gone.
Jesus might forgive him, but I won't.
The mayor and deputy mayor, the city council, fire dept, governor etc are also to blame as they did not do brush clearance or fill up a needed reservoir or have hydrants that worked or updated to the newer standard, fire dept personnel with no fire engines etc etc.
They need to be charges as well.
Would that minister be okay if someone were to set his house on fire in the name of “social justice”?
It is WAY past time for the left to be repaid in kind.
(She) The Episcopalian cabal likes the lady terrorists. Bishops, Viccars, Ministers, etc.... Ladies are the preferred liturgists.
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