UC Professor Arrested for Setting Multiple Fires

(LOS ANGELES) -- A University of California professor is currently jailed without bail on charges that he allegedly set multiple fires and plotted to kill students and administrators at the school that disciplined his son before the teen committed suicide.

Rainer Reinscheid, 48, is an associate professor of pharmaceuticals at UC Irvine. He is accused of committing five arsons and one attempted arson between July 4 and July 24, 2012, according to the Orange County District Attorney.

The arsons occurred on the campus of University High School where his son was a student, at a school administrator's home and in Mason Park Preserve where his son committed suicide

Reinscheid's 14-year-old son was disciplined for stealing in school in March and committed suicide in the park later that month, according to the teen's mother.

On July 24, Reinscheid was caught attempting to start a fire in Mason Park Preserve and was arrested at the scene. He did not comply with officers' orders to stop and attempted to resist arrest, according to the DA. He was arrested and released after posting a $50,000 bail.

During the investigation three days later, police discovered alarming emails on Reinscheid's cell phone.

"In those emails, he's accused of laying out detailed plans for purchasing guns, committing acts of murder against school students and administrators, burning down the school building--burning it to the ground--and killing himself," prosecutor Andrew Katz told ABC News' Los Angeles station KABC.

Following the discovery of the emails, Reinscheid was re-arrested and was denied bail on Tuesday.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio