Steven Haney
Coverage of Steven Haney in the Nexus archive.
- Jury deadlocks in trial for Uber driver accused of starting devastating Palisades Fire
A jury deadlocked in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, a former Uber driver accused of starting the Palisades Fire that destroyed thousands of homes. Prosecutors claim he intentionally set the fire in 2025 to retaliate against the wealthy, while his defense argues fireworks were the likely cause and the investigation was flawed.
- Palisades Fire suspect insisted there were no fireworks in interview
Jonathan Rinderknecht, accused of starting a brush fire that became the Palisades Fire, denied seeing or hearing fireworks during an interview with investigators. Prosecution presented evidence including geolocation data and security footage to challenge his account, while his defense claims the fire was caused by fireworks. A fire investigator testified that Rinderknecht appeared dishonest during the interview.
- Arson suspect stands trial over most destructive fire in LA history
A 30-year-old man is on trial for allegedly starting a brush fire in Los Angeles on Jan. 1, 2025, which later became the Palisades Fire—the city's most destructive firestorm. Prosecutors claim he intentionally set the fire out of anger over personal failures, while his defense argues the initial fire and subsequent firestorm are unrelated.