Wildfire suspect’s attorney decries case

An attorney for the man charged with intentionally igniting a smoldering blaze that later became the deadly Palisades fire says the evidence against his client is thin and accused authorities of scapegoating him.

- By NaTHAN Souis AND RICHARD WINTON

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, of Florida was indicted last week on three felony charges and faces up to 45 years in prison. The former Uber driver in Los Angeles was arrested by the FBI on Oct. 7 and charged with destruction of property by means of fire in connection with the Jan. 1 blaze known as the Lachman fire, which smoldered for six days until it became the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history.

Prosecutors on Wednesday revealed a new indictment against Rinderknecht that added one count of arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and one count of timber set afire.

Steve Haney, a newly retained lawyer for Rinderknecht, said the case against his client is thin and that factually linking him to the Palisades fire is not possible.

Haney said the time between the Lachman fire on Jan. 1 and the Palisades fire on Jan, 7 leaves room for a multitude of variables that could have led to the blaze. Rinderknecht is farremoved from the Palisades fire, Haney said.

“I don’t see any evidence linking the Lachman fire to the Palisades fire,” Haney said.

He said that the government’s case is “full ofall sorts of problems.”

“Finding a scapegoat for the Palisades fire is un-American,” said Haney, who is well known for representing sports figuresin criminal proceedings.