• A Florida man, Jonathan Rinderknecht, has been arrested for starting the deadly Pacific Palisades Fire.
• The fire killed 12 people and caused an estimated $150 billion in damages.
• Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set, leading to potential death penalty considerations.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old Florida man, was arrested for allegedly igniting the catastrophic Pacific Palisades Fire that raged across Los Angeles earlier this year. This fire resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals, destroyed about 6,000 structures, and caused damages estimated at $150 billion. He faces three federal criminal charges related to the incident, and will be transferred to California to stand trial, as confirmed by the U.S. Justice Department and various law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, including the ATF and the Los Angeles Police Department, according to Reuters and India Times.

The investigation revealed that Rinderknecht allegedly started the fire after completing a shift as an Uber driver. On New Year's Eve, he reportedly became agitated and angry before igniting the fire at a hillside trail near the Pacific Palisades. His actions were captured on videos taken with his cellphone, and he was seen fleeing the scene shortly after making a 911 call, according to law enforcement details shared by SFGate and South China Morning Post.

Rinderknecht has been charged with federal arson, which can carry severe penalties, including life imprisonment or even the death penalty due to the fatalities incurred from the fire. The ATF has previously indicated that federal arson cases are taken very seriously, and the latest developments suggest that federal prosecutors may pursue the death penalty, as the arson resulted in numerous injuries and deaths, according to statements from U.S. Attorney Bilal “Bill” Essayli and multiple sources including Reuters, India Times, SFGate, and South China Morning Post.