March 2010 crime map >
Off-campus fires result in one death, other injuries
Four off-campus fires were reported within 12 hours on April 3. The most significant incident occurred at 928 S. State St., just north of Weidenbach Hall. One person died and two others were taken to the University Hospital Trauma Burn unit. No injuries were reported as a result of the other three fires.
The fire on South State Street began about 5:15 a.m. A passerby observed a bag of trash on the porch burning. He notified the Ann Arbor Fire Department and tried to alert the building’s occupants. The fire spread quickly across the porch and to the second floor. Four occupants escaped without major injury. One occupant, Renden Lemasters, an Eastern Michigan University student, later died from his injuries. A U-M student was treated and released later the same day. As of press time, a third occupant remained in the hospital.
The Ann Arbor police and fire departments are continuing their investigations into all four fires. It is highly unusual that four fires would erupt within such a short time span and in a few block area, officials say. However, investigators have not determined if any of the fires were intentionally set.
The other fires involved a multiple-vehicle fire in the 900 block of Church, burning newspapers below an apartment window in the 700 block of Church and burning trash at a residence on White Street.
The Department of Public Safety issued a crime alert later that night to ensure the community was aware of the suspicious incidents. Some of the noted safety precautions in the alert include safely extinguishing cigarettes and grills, promptly reporting any suspicious behavior to police and evacuating buildings at the first sign of smoke or alarm.
Patient reports assault by doctor
A University Hospital patient told police March 19 that she had been sexually assaulted by a doctor during a medical procedure three days earlier. The police investigation was submitted to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor for review.
Laptop computer taken from room
A laptop computer was reported stolen from a resident’s room in the Lawyer’s Club. The resident told police she last saw the computer at around 7 p.m. March 26 and discovered it was missing the following morning. There were no signs of forced entry.
Car missing from parking lot
A student told university police that her 2000 Honda Civic had been stolen March 8. She said she had parked the car in Lot SC34 (State Street commuter lot) around 9:45 a.m. and believed that she had locked the doors. When she returned about 7:15 p.m., the car was gone.
