Firefighters presented conflicting accounts Monday in the federal arson trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of igniting the deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. One Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter testified to hearing and seeing fireworks before the brush fire began, while his captain later stated he did not observe any such activity.
The government alleges that Rinderknecht, 29, started a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on January 1, 2025, which subsequently reignited and grew into a devastating wildfire. Prosecutors have characterized Rinderknecht as a vengeful and mentally unstable individual, with expert witnesses testifying that the fire's origin was "incendiary," meaning caused by an open flame. The defense, however, has consistently suggested that fireworks are a plausible explanation that investigators may have overlooked.
Conflicting Witness Accounts
Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter Robert Appleford testified that he saw flashes of light and heard fireworks before and after midnight on the night of the fire. Minutes after his observations, the department received a call reporting the brush fire. However, his captain, Dave Sanders, later testified that he did not see or hear any fireworks. When questioned by Rinderknecht's attorney, Steve Haney, Sanders denied recalling telling a fire investigator that he had heard fireworks that night.
The defense also called a Pacific Palisades resident, Ari Sallus, who lost his home in the fire, to testify. Sallus stated that while hiking on New Year's Eve, he saw a flash of light and heard a loud bang from a nearby direction. He later spotted a "little orange light" in the same area that was steadily growing and subsequently called 911.
Earlier in the trial, the defense had presented testimony from a neighborhood security guard and another resident who reported hearing fireworks and seeing teenagers near the alleged origin point of the fire. These witnesses testified on Thursday.
Juror Dismissed Amid Testimony
The conflicting testimony from firefighters also led to a juror's dismissal. During a court recess, the judge informed attorneys that she had overheard a juror thank firefighter Robert Appleford for his service. The judge, Anne Hwang, agreed with the defense that the interaction was inappropriate and indicated potential bias toward the Fire Department, leading to the juror's dismissal and the seating of an alternate.
Defense Arguments Limited
Monday's proceedings also highlighted limitations placed on the defense. Haney had initially intended to argue that the fire department's response to the initial January 1 fire was negligent, based on depositions from a firefighter and a state park ranger who indicated the blaze was still smoldering when first responders departed. However, Judge Hwang ruled that any evidence or arguments concerning the LAFD's response to the January 1 fire were irrelevant and could confuse the jury, thus barring them from being presented at trial.