The 29-year-old man who's been charged with arson for allegedly causing the Palisades Fire said in court papers he called police after a former neighbor at a Hollywood apartment building tried to sexually assault him.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, who's being held with no bail after his arrest in Florida earlier this week, acted as his own attorney to file a lawsuit against the former neighbor in March, 2025, weeks after he'd been questioned by LAPD detectives and federal agents about his possible involvement in the wildfire.

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An alleged assault against Rinderknecht was referenced during a detention hearing Thursday in Orlando, where a judge decided that Rinderknecht should be held in custody until a trial. It was not cle

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