At a Glance
- Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, wants key evidence blocked, claiming warrants lacked probable cause.
- Defense says 31 witnesses saw fireworks before the Jan. 1 Lachman Fire.
- Rinderknecht, held without bond, faces three federal arson counts tied to the blaze that preceded the deadly Palisades Fire.
- Why it matters: The ruling could determine whether the Uber driver stands trial or walks free.
A federal judge will soon decide whether to suppress evidence that prosecutors say links Jonathan Rinderknecht to the New Year’s Day brush fire federal agents believe spawned the devastating Palisades Fire six days later.
Rinderknecht’s attorneys filed a suppression motion Thursday arguing that investigators had no legitimate basis for the search warrants they obtained. They claim agents relied solely on Rinderknecht’s presence in the Palisades Highlands neighborhood where the Lachman Fire ignited around midnight on Jan. 1, 2025.
Defense Challenges Probable Cause
Attorney Steve Haney wrote that the warrants were “solely based on the Defendant’s mere presence at the crime scene without additional evidence connecting the defendant to criminal activity.” Citing Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit precedent, the motion says such presence alone cannot establish probable cause.
Federal prosecutors have charged Rinderknecht with three counts of arson. They allege he used an open flame to set brush ablaze in the area. He has pleaded not guilty.
Witnesses Report Fireworks
The motion claims firefighters initially suspected fireworks caused the fire. According to the filing, nearly 31 witnesses either saw or heard fireworks just before flames spread. The defense argues these accounts were dismissed by authorities.
Blame Shifted to Fire Department?
Haney accuses officials of scapegoating Rinderknecht to deflect responsibility from the Los Angeles Fire Department. The motion says LAFD left the Lachman Fire smoldering amid “the lack of water, resources, manpower and a bone-dry Santa Ynez reservoir.”
“The scapegoating and politically motivated finger pointing to the Uber driver who just happened to be on the hill when the fire started … is arguably one of the most shameful attempts at deflecting civil and criminal responsibility in the nation’s history,” the attorney wrote.
Text Messages Cited
The suppression motion references alleged text exchanges between firefighters assigned to Engine 69. One message reportedly called it a “bad idea” to leave the burned hills unattended on Jan. 2. Another allegedly read, “and the rest is history.” The filing does not include the actual messages as exhibits.
ATF Conclusion
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has said the Palisades Fire was caused by unseen embers from the Linderknecht-linked blaze. Those embers, the agency concluded, smoldered underground before re-igniting during high winds on Jan. 7.
No Additional Charges
To date, prosecutors have not filed charges directly tying Rinderknecht to the Palisades Fire, its destruction, or the 12 deaths that resulted.
Pretrial Status
Rinderknecht was arrested in Florida in October and has twice been denied bond. He remains in federal custody. Jury selection could begin in April after both sides requested a larger-than-normal pool and written questionnaires due to the case’s high profile. A hearing on the suppression motion and jury issues is set for February.
