Jury selection begins Monday in downtown Los Angeles for the trial of a former Uber driver accused of setting a New Year's Day fire that prosecutors say eventually grew into the deadly Palisades Fire.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 45 years in federal prison.

The trial is expected to last about 11 days, according to court records.

What we know:

Federal prosecutors allege Rinderknecht intentionally started what became known as the Lachman Fire shortly after midnight on Jan. 1, 2025, on federal land in the Pacific Palisades area.

Investigators contend the fire was initially suppressed by firefighters but continued to smolder underground within the root systems of dense vegetation. According to court documents, hurricane-force Santa Ana winds on Jan. 7 caused the underground fire to resurface and spread above ground, becoming the Palisades Fire.

The wildfire ultimately burned 23,448 acres, destroyed approximately 6,800 structures and killed 12 people, making it one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history.

Prosecutors say investigators relied on witness statements, surveillance video, cell phone data and fire pattern analysis to conclude that Rinderknecht started the original fire.

Court documents allege that on New Year's Eve 2024, Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver and appeared agitated and angry during interactions with passengers. Prosecutors say that after dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades, he drove to the Skull Rock Trailhead area, parked his vehicle and hiked into the area where investigators believe the fire originated.

Authorities also allege that during a Jan. 24, 2025 interview with investigators in Florida, where he relocated after the fire, Rinderknecht provided false information about his whereabouts when he first observed the blaze. Prosecutors say geolocation data from his phone placed him approximately 30 feet from the fire as

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