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 fede

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