UC Irvine Professor in Custody for Threatening to Attack Irvine High School

A professor at UC Irvine is in custody following his arrest at a park near University High School. On July 24 a patrol officer noticed Rainer Reinscheid at the park trying to start a fire. There was extra patrolling in the area because there had been a series of fires at the park. He did post bail shortly after being arrested but officers found more information and arrested him without bail on July 27. Authorities connected him to the fires from earlier that month and came across e-mails he had written detailing how he wanted to set the school on fire, buy guns, kill students and administrators at University High, commit sexual assaults and commit suicide thereafter. The emails were addressed to himself or his wife and were found on his phone. The detailed plans were used to prove that he should be denied bail because he could be a danger to others.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has charged Reinscheid with five counts of arson, one count of attempted arson, and resisting or obstructing a police officer. His arraignment was postponed until August 8. The fires and plans against University High are explained as being part of Reinshcheid’s anger from his son’s suicide. His son was a student at the high school and was given trash pick duties during lunch for stealing at the student store. He apparently hanged himself at a park near the school.

Here is a video from ABCNews covering the story.

Criminal Law Updates by the Law Offices of Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney William W. Bruzzo (714) 547-4636

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