TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- A man accused of starting the deadly and destructive Pacific Palisades wildfire earlier this year was arrested in central Florida on Wednesday.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Justice and California law enforcement announced the arrest in a news conference.

Authorities allege Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, ignited the January blaze that would go on to become one of the most destructive in the history of the Los Angeles area.

The fire killed a dozen people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes and other structures in the wealthy coastal neighborhood.

The DOJ said "an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city" was among the evidence found on Rinderknecht's devices.

Rinderknecht was an Uber driver who resided in the neighborhood at the time of the fire,

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