Culture

SoCal Professor Accused of Arson, Plotting to Kill at High School

Man's teen son had previously committed suicide, may have been connected to school.

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Prosecutors have charged a UC Irvine associate professor, whose son they say committed suicide after being disciplined at school, in connection with five arson fires, three of them at University High School in Irvine, one at a park, and one at a school administrator's home.

Rainer Klaus Reinscheid, 48, of Irvine, was expected to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon.

Prosecutors said they would seek to hold Reinscheid without bail after the Irvine Police Department reportedly discovered emails by in which the professor detailed plans to kill students and administrators at the high school.