Jonathan Rinderknecht, a Former Uber Driver, Faces Federal Arson Charges

Federal prosecutors have set an April 21, 2026, trial date for Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of igniting the Lachman Fire in Pacific Palisades — a blaze that authorities say smoldered for days before erupting into the massive Palisades Fire, which scorched more than 23,000 acres.

Rinderknecht, a former Uber driver and one-time resident of Pacific Palisades, was arrested in Florida earlier this month after federal investigators traced the origin of the New Year’s Day 2025 blaze to a hillside property near his former home. Prosecutors allege that Rinderknecht’s actions set off a chain of events leading to one of Los Angeles County’s most destructive wildfires in recent years.

He faces three federal charges:

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