"Just after midnight on New Year's Day, a 29-year-old Uber driver named Jonathan Rinderknecht allegedly ignited what became the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history. Nearly 10 months after the disaster, Rinderknecht's arrest this week brought some closure to residents. Investigators say he was a troubled young man obsessed with fire, who tried to hide his role after setting a small blaze that reignited days later into a deadly inferno."
"According to federal investigators, who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday, Rinderknecht, who lived near Pacific Palisades at the time, ended his driving shift appearing agitated and angry, parked near a trailhead leading to Topanga state park and walked uphill while listening to a French rap song whose video shows objects being burned. Moments later, he allegedly set fire to dry vegetation with a lighter, starting what was first known as the Lachman fire."
"According to the court documents, Rinderknecht offered to help firefighters fight the Lachman fire when he returned to the scene, which authorities described as highly unusual conduct. The Lachman fire grew to eight to 10 acres before being suppressed by the LA fire department. After calling 911 and seeing firefighters driving up Palisades Drive to respond to the fire, Rinderknecht turned around, followed the firefighters up to the fire, and filmed them responding to it, according to the criminal complaint."
Just after midnight on New Year's Day, a 29-year-old Uber driver allegedly ignited a small blaze near a trailhead that later became the Palisades fire. The suspect returned to the scene, offered to help firefighters, followed them, and filmed their response. He allegedly was agitated, listened to a French rap video showing objects burning, and used a lighter to ignite dry vegetation, starting the Lachman fire. Firefighters initially suppressed the blaze, but it smoldered underground and reignited amid powerful winds on January 7, ultimately burning more than 23,000 acres and killing 12 people. Arrest occurred nearly ten months later.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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