HILLSDALE, MI (WTVB) – A Coldwater man is being held in the Calhoun County Jail without bond pending a Thursday afternoon arraignment after an alleged threat against Hillsdale College forced the campus to be placed on a precautionary lockdown for a couple of hours on Wednesday.
28-year-old Michael Philip LaFountain used to be a student at Hillsdale College.
Police in Branch and Hillsdale Counties as well as the Michigan State Police searched for him with the help of modern technology as they were able to ping his cell phone.
Coldwater Police located LaFountain just after 2:00 p.m. driving his 2005 Ford Ranger on Bishop Avenue near Grand and took him into custody.
Police say no weapons were found in his vehicle.
It’s unclear what kind of threats if any were made that brought about the lockdown as no police statements have been issued.
An officer at the Calhoun County Jail said due to department policy, he could not reveal charges LaFountain was being held on. After being apprehended in Coldwater, LaFountain was booked on the Calhoun County hold at the Branch County Jail.
Hillsdale Community Schools went to what was called a soft lockdown for about an hour.
Numerous police officers were on the Hillsdale College campus during the early afternoon hours.
The college asked everybody to stay inside and behind locked doors while the search was being conducted.
Hillsdale College lifted the lockdown when LaFountain was found.
