Ian Mackenzie’s pretrial conference for the arson of an abandoned building on South University two months ago was rescheduled this afternoon for Jan. 25.
The 18-year-old defendant is pleading not guilty to three counts of arson. He faces up to 20 years in prison for allegedly setting fire to the former location of Pinball Pete’s — a blaze that gutted the vacant building.
When Mackenzie’s case was called before Judge Melinda Morris in Washtenaw County Trial Court this afternoon, attorneys immediately approached the bench to speak off the record. After a few moments of discussion, Judge Morris announced that Mackenzie’s pretrial would be adjourned until later this month.
It was noted that Mackenzie, who currently remains in custody, intends to pay his bond — which is currently held at $50,000 — so that he can be released.
The fire on Oct. 24 devastated the empty building on South University and caused minor damages to surrounding buildings like University Towers, which had to be evacuated at the time.
Both Mackenzie and his co-defendant, Justin Arens, were believed to be homeless at the time of the fire and had both previously slept in the empty building. Mackenzie turned himself in to Ann Arbor police weeks after the fire.
Arens, 21, is scheduled to stand in front of Judge Morris on Jan. 11 for his pretrial conference.