Man accused of starting deadly Palisades fire to be retried for arson after mistrial

A 30-year-old man accused of starting the deadly Palisades fire is being retried for arson this week, four months after his first trial ended with a hung jury.

Federal prosecutors say Jonathan Rinderknecht, a former Uber driver, is responsible for the January 2025 wildfire, which killed 12 people and ravaged thousands of buildings in the Pacific Palisades.

On 31 December, Rinderknecht dropped a passenger off in the upscale Los Angeles enclave, before climbing on foot to a hillside clearing. Law enforcement officials said he ignited a brush fire, which ballooned into the 8-acre Lachman fire.