The man accused of ignoring a deadly California fire returned to California on Thursday, making his first public appearance in downtown Los Angeles.
Jonathan Rindennecht, 29, is charged with destruction of property by fire; one count of arson involving an interstate utility vehicle; And one count of larceny has been set afire, according to the US attorney’s office. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was ordered to remain in custody.
Appearing before Magistrate Judge ROZELLA A. Oliver in the Beige Jail in Egxukuni, Randernecht suddenly interrupted and held his hands behind his back.
At one point, he interrupted the proceedings, saying, “Can I say something about the arrest?” Before his lawyer, Steve Haney, cut him off.
Haney called for a recess and they walked out of court for about five minutes.
He’s clearly distraught,” Haney later told reporters of his client’s arraignment. “He’s a distraught young man in custody.”
Haney said the federal government is using his client as a “scapegoat.”
Rinternecht was living in Los Angeles when he allegedly set the fire — known as the Lachman fire — on New Year’s Day in Temescal Canyon, according to federal prosecutors. Investigators say it was in the area where he worked as an Uber driver and dropped off passengers near where he was sitting.
Authorities say the Lachman fire started violently near Didech Rock just after midnight. Prosecutors pointed to witness statements, video surveillance, data from rindernecht’s cell phone and an analysis of where the fire was fired.
Investigators also found an AI-generated image of a burning house on Rindernecht’s iPhone, according to Bill Essayli, an associate district attorney in California.
Environmental sensors first detected the Lachman fire at 12:12 AM on Jan. 1 At that time, the resident called the fire to the authorities.
Prosecutors said Randernecht then approached firefighters to try to help put out the fire. He later told investigators he saw fire coming from the bottom of the trail, but data from his iPhone showed he was standing about 30 feet from the fire as it spread, according to court records.
Crews initially thought they had the Lachman Fire, but federal prosecutors say it burned again days later – growing into two fires.
That fire eventually burned 23,400 acres and destroyed more than 6,800 structures. Twelve people died as flames ripped through the Pacific Palisic Palikades.
Haney asserted that his client did not start the Lachman fire.
“There has to be a connection between the two,” he said.
Rintersenicht, the son of Baptist missionaries, spent much of his childhood traveling in the United States with his family. His parents live in France, and prosecutors say Rinternecht is a flight risk because of his family living overseas.
He previously lived in Pacific Palikades but was living in Hollywood when the Lachman fire broke out, according to prosecutors.
Federal agents arrested Rinternecht on Oct. 7 at home outside Orlando, Fla., where he lived with family. He has remained in custody since then.
A jury trial is scheduled for Dec. 16, and Haney said he expects his client to make another attempt to get out on bond.
