Orlando court hearing delayed for Palisades Fire suspect

By Dave Mason
The Center Square

The court hearing for the Florida man charged with starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive blazes in the history of Los Angeles, has been postponed to Oct. 17.

California prosecutors with the U.S. Department of Justice, which filed a complaint against Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old Melbourne, Fla., resident, said they need more time to line up witnesses and prepare for follow-up hearings. Rinderknecht, who used to live in the coastal Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, was originally scheduled to appear Thursday morning in the U.S. District Court in Orlando.

A letter filed by prosecutors said Rinderknecht’s lawyer agreed to the delay, according to media reports. The Orlando judge signed off on the delay on Thursday.

Rinderknecht will be tried in California, but a Florida court must review his bail status before he’s transferred.

Charges include malicious destruction by means of fire. If convicted, Rinderknecht could spend anywhere from five to 20 years in a federal prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who’s with the Central District of California, said during a news conference Wednesday.

Officials said Rinderknecht has no criminal history. During an Orlando court appearance Wednesday, he told a judge he was not under the influence and did not have mental health issues.

Rinderknecht is facing federal charges because the Palisades Fire burned federal property.

Specifically, he is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on Jan. 1 on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, which receives federal funding. Essayli said the fire smoldered underground until it surfaced and spread into the Palisades Fire on Jan. 7.

The Palisades Fire killed 12 people, burned 23,448 acres and destroyed 6,833 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.