Nine months later, Pacific Palisades residents are continuing to rebuild their community after a suspect was arrested in connection to the deadly January fire on Tuesday.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, has been charged with destruction of property by means of fire, Bill Essayli, the acting U.S. attorney for Southern California, announced in a press conference Wednesday morning.
Some Palisades residents who lost their homes in the fire found solace in the arrest but are still left with a slow rebuilding process and many unanswered questions about the response to the fire. Tuesday’s arrest is “part a sense of relief, but there is just a simmering anger behind all of it,” said Traci Park, a Councilwoman for District 11.
Other Palisades residents showed less interest in the fire’s cause, instead focusing their efforts on restoring their community. “What caused the fire is kind of an afterthought at this point,” said J.D. Stuart, a Palisades resident.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested in Florida, lived in the Palisades neighborhood at the time of the fire. Working as an Uber driver on the night of New Year’s Eve, Rinderknecht dropped off a passenger at a residence in the Palisades before walking up a nearby trail and setting a fire, according to officials.
The suspect’s motive remains unknown.
Tracy Rossie, another Pacific Palisades resident, was looking to move on after the arrest as well. Although she believes that “there’s a lot of responsibility out there still to be taken,” Rossie is focused on rebuilding her neighborhood. “I know it’s going to take time, but we have such a special thing.”
The Palisades Fire burned for 24 days, killing 12 people and destroying 6,837 structures. The fire is considered the most destructive inferno in Los Angeles history.
“This tragedy will never be forgotten — lives were lost, families torn apart, and entire communities forever changed — and there must be accountability,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom in a press release.
If convicted, Rinderknecht would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
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