Authorities announced Wednesday morning that an arrest had been made in connection to the January fires in the Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced at a press conference that 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht had been arrested on a criminal complaint that alleged he “maliciously” started the fire on Jan. 1, 2025, that later led to the destructive Palisades Fire.

Authorities said Rinderknecht was completing an Uber ride as a driver on New Year’s Eve in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, walked to a nearby trail, took videos on his phone, and listened to a rap song “whose music video included objects being lit on fire.”

Rinderknecht allegedly called 911 to report the fire and fled the scene in his car but later took videos on his phone of f

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