feedzop-word-mark-logo
searchLogin
Feedzop
homeFor YouIndiaIndia
You
bookmarksYour BookmarkshashtagYour Topics
Trending
trending

Wipro beats revenue estimates

trending

WBPRB SI answer key

trending

Mumbai weather: Sunny skies ahead

trending

Infosys ADR shares crash

trending

PM Kisan 21st installment

trending

Australia Women beat Bangladesh Women

trending

New Zealand Springboks tour confirmed

trending

Elderly couple hug during flood

trending

Similipal Tiger Reserve reopens

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyAboutJobsPartner With Us

© 2025 Advergame Technologies Pvt. Ltd. ("ATPL"). Gamezop ® & Quizzop ® are registered trademarks of ATPL.

Gamezop is a plug-and-play gaming platform that any app or website can integrate to bring casual gaming for its users. Gamezop also operates Quizzop, a quizzing platform, that digital products can add as a trivia section.

Over 5,000 products from more than 70 countries have integrated Gamezop and Quizzop. These include Amazon, Samsung Internet, Snap, Tata Play, AccuWeather, Paytm, Gulf News, and Branch.

Games and trivia increase user engagement significantly within all kinds of apps and websites, besides opening a new stream of advertising revenue. Gamezop and Quizzop take 30 minutes to integrate and can be used for free: both by the products integrating them and end users

Increase ad revenue and engagement on your app / website with games, quizzes, astrology, and cricket content. Visit: business.gamezop.com

Property Code: 5571

Home / Crime and Justice / Uber Driver Faces 45 Years in Prison for Igniting Deadly California Wildfire

Uber Driver Faces 45 Years in Prison for Igniting Deadly California Wildfire

16 Oct

•

Summary

  • Uber driver accused of starting 2025 Palisades Fire in California
  • Fire burned over 23,000 acres and claimed 12 lives
  • Suspect faces up to 45 years in prison on new federal charges
Uber Driver Faces 45 Years in Prison for Igniting Deadly California Wildfire

According to federal prosecutors, an Uber driver named Jonathan Rinderknecht is facing a potential 45-year prison sentence for his alleged role in starting the devastating Palisades Fire in California in January 2025. The blaze, which began as the Lachman Fire, eventually burned through over 23,000 acres and claimed 12 lives.

Rinderknecht, who is also known as "Jonathan Rinder" and "Jon Rinder," was already facing charges of destruction of property by means of fire. However, a federal grand jury has now indicted him on two additional felonies: arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and timber set afire. These new charges, along with the previous ones, could result in a maximum sentence of 45 years in federal prison, with a mandatory minimum of 5 years.

Prosecutors allege that on the evening of December 31, 2024, Rinderknecht's Uber passengers reported that he appeared "agitated and angry." After dropping off a passenger in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, Rinderknecht parked at the Skull Rock Trailhead. Just after midnight on January 1, 2025, the Lachman Fire began, and Rinderknecht called 911 before fleeing the scene. However, location data from his cell phone placed him just 30 feet from the blaze as it grew.

Investigators also discovered that Rinderknecht had generated an image on the AI chatbot ChatGPT depicting a burning city, which they believe may have been related to the fire. The Palisades Fire was later determined to be a "holdover" fire, meaning it was a continuation of the Lachman Fire that Rinderknecht is accused of starting.

Rinderknecht is currently in federal custody and is scheduled to be arraigned in the coming weeks in the United States District Court in Los Angeles. The case is being prosecuted by a team of Assistant United States Attorneys.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, an Uber driver, is accused of starting the 2025 Palisades Fire in California, which burned over 23,000 acres and claimed 12 lives. He now faces up to 45 years in prison on federal charges.
According to prosecutors, Rinderknecht started the initial Lachman Fire on January 1, 2025, after dropping off a passenger in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The Lachman Fire later turned into the larger and more destructive Palisades Fire.
Investigators found that Rinderknecht had generated an image on the AI chatbot ChatGPT depicting a burning city, which they believe may have been related to the fire. They also placed him near the origin of the blaze as it grew.

Read more news on

Crime and Justiceside-arrowCaliforniaside-arrow

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

You may also like

Puerto Rican Actor Finds Solace in Vermont's Tranquility

21 hours ago • 4 reads

article image

Florida Man Charged in Deadly Palisades Fire that Killed 12

8 Oct • 13 reads

article image

Survivor of Controversial "Conversion Therapy" Speaks Out Against Supreme Court Case

6 Oct • 25 reads

article image

Alarming Pacific Heatwave Threatens West Coast Winters

6 Oct • 59 reads

article image

Diddy Requests Transfer to Low-Security Prison for Rehabilitation

6 Oct • 42 reads

article image