A University of Michigan senior was charged today with setting a fire inside a university residence hall in March in an attempt to intimidate another student with whom he had a disagreement over a drug deal, police said.
Timothy James Burke, 26, of Macomb, is charged with arson of a dwelling, University of Michigan police spokeswoman Diane Brown said.
No one was injured in the March 26 blaze in front of a resident's door inside the West Quad residence hall, police said.
Burke's apparent intended victim did not live in the area, police said.
The fire, which was quickly extinguished by the building's sprinkler system, caused about $500 damage, authorities said.
Burke, who turned himself in, was arraigned this afternoon in the 15th District Court and was released on a personal recognizance bond, Brown said.
He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the felony offense, Brown said.
Get the Ann Arbor RSS Feed
AnnArbor.com