Man accused of starting Palisades fire was ‘angry, intense, driving erratically’, lawyers say
Jonathan Rinderknecht’s attorneys say he’s being used as scapegoat for Los Angeles fire department’s failure to fully extinguish earlier blaze
TL;DR
- Jonathan Rinderknecht is accused of starting the Palisades fire in January 2025, which killed 12 people.
- Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht was angry and upset about a failed relationship and his New Year's Eve plans when he ignited an initial fire.
- Rinderknecht's attorneys maintain his innocence, asserting he is being made a scapegoat for the Los Angeles fire department's handling of the blaze.
- Witnesses reportedly described Rinderknecht as angry and ranting during Uber rides on New Year's Eve.
- Rinderknecht allegedly ranted about Luigi Mangione, capitalism, and vigilantism, and expressed resentment towards the rich.
- His attorneys point to firefighter testimony suggesting lingering hotspots from an earlier fire on January 2, 2025, as evidence of negligence.
- The fire department chief has commissioned an independent report on the handling of the January 1, 2025, fire due to discrepancies in testimonies.