Austin Turner is a web producer at CBS News Los Angeles. An Inland Empire native, Austin earned a degree in journalism from San Jose State University in 2020. Before joining CBS News in 2025, he worked at KTLA, the San Jose Mercury News, the Sedona Red Rock News and various other outlets as a freelance sports reporter.

A Florida man has been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the destructive Palisades Fire that killed a dozen people in Los Angeles earlier this year, officials said on Wednesday.

The man, identified as 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, was arrested on suspicion of "maliciously" starting the blaze that later became the Palisades Fire, according to acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli.

The Palisades Fire burned more than 23,000 acres of land in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and the Santa Monica mountains. 12 people were confirmed to be killed, according to Cal Fire, and more than 6,800 structures were destroyed.

Early investigations showed that the blaze, which began the morning of Jan. 7, may have started near the burn scar of the Lachman Fire, a much smaller incident on a hiking trail on Jan. 1.