Deadly Palisades Fire suspect arrested

Watch Deadly Palisades Fire suspect arrested - New York Post on Dailymotion

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00:00A 29-year-old Uber driver obsessed with dystopian imagery and French rap has been charged with

00:05maliciously starting that fatal blaze that decimated parts of Los Angeles, according to

00:10authorities. It was the most destructive fire in LA history. 12 people lost their lives and 6,000

00:17homes were destroyed. All told, about $150 billion in damages. Jonathan Rindernacht ignited the

00:24initial sparks just after midnight on New Year's Day after dropping off some Uber passengers.

00:28Those passengers recalled he appeared, quote, agitated and angry. Now, he allegedly sparked

00:34the blaze on a hiking path, watched it burn for about a minute, and then ran away. He then reported

00:39it to 911 and was apparently filming all of this on his phone. While on the phone with dispatchers,

00:45authorities say he typed a damning question into ChatGPT, quote, are you at fault if a fire is lit

00:51because of your cigarettes? And the screen record caught it. Now, initially, Rindernacht drove away

00:58but then turned around to follow fire trucks responding to the scene and watched and recorded

01:02several videos of crews fighting the blaze. And months before the wildfires tore through Southern

01:08California, the suspect also asked ChatGPT to create artwork that, in light of what he stands accused

01:14of, is really troubling. A depiction of a burning forest next to a bustling city. And he specifically

01:20asked for a crowd running away from the flames to be included in those images. Rindernacht, who was

01:25arrested in Florida this week, has no criminal history and is being transferred back to California

01:29to stand trial.