A UC Irvine professor made his first appearance in a Santa Ana courtroom yesterday afternoon on charges of setting several fires after police discovered emails in which he allegedly detailed plans to kill students and administrators at an Irvine high school that his son attended before taking his own life.

Rainer Klaus Reinscheid, 48, of Irvine, is charged with two counts each of arson of another's property and arson of a structure and one count each of arson of an inhabited residence and attempted arson -- all felonies -- and a misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing an officer, according to Deputy District Attorney Andrew Katz.

Reinscheid was ordered held without bail, and his arraignment was rescheduled for Aug. 8, Katz said.

Katz asked that Reinscheid be held without bail because investigators uncovered emails on the professor's cellphone that he sent to his wife in April, detailing his alleged plans to burn down University High School, commit sexual assaults, buy guns and kill school officials and students before killing himself.

Reinscheid's 14-year-old son, who was a student at the high school, committed suicide in Mason Park Preserve in Irvine after being disciplined at school in March, Katz said.

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