Jordan Rinderknecht, 29, is accused of igniting the deadly Palisades Fire in Southern California. He will remain in custody of U.S. marshals during his trial. U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathan W.Hill cited Rinderknecht’s mental health, unstable income, and complex family issues as reasons for denying bail.
Rinderknecht’s siblings, including two sisters and one brother, were in the second row during the hearing. The emotional response of one of his sisters, who started crying after the ruling, highlighted the personal stakes of the case.
According to federal officials, Rinderknecht was arrested in Melbourne the previous day. He is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Day, which later reemerged as the Palisades Fire due to strong winds on January 7th. The Lachman Fire began from an open flame and continued burning underground, becoming the Palisades Fire.
Rinderknecht was an Uber driver, and according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News, two passengers described him as agitated and angry the night of the incident. The complaint stated that he ignited the fire immediately after dropping off his passengers.
Officials confirmed at a news conference that Rinderknecht was a resident of Palisades and was familiar with the neighborhood, making it easier for him to access the area where the fire started. An Uber spokesperson shared that the company has been cooperating with the ATF to track Rinderknecht’s whereabouts and that GPS data placed him near the fire’s origin.
Upon learning of his suspected involvement, Uber revoked his access to the platform. The company emphasized that all drivers must complete a state-mandated background check and are rescreened annually. The incident has raised questions about the adequacy of background checks in preventing such incidents.