A student filed a lawsuit against UNLV, saying that she was falsely arrested accusing her roommate of "harassing and threatening" behavior.
Freshman Megan Krainski claims that after speaking to Assistant Resident Life Coordinator Leslie Wallenfeldt in September about problems with her dorm roommate Kenya Polee, she was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.
In her complaint, she alleges that after telling Wallenfeldt about her roommate's behavior, Wallendfelt then told Polee of the allegations and fabricated a story about Krainski attacking Polee with scissors in order to remove Krainski from the dormitory complex.
Krainski claims the story was part of a consorted effort to help Polee, who is a member of UNLV's track and field team.
Krainski said her arrest took her completely off guard.
"I was dumbfounded because I didn't know what was going on," she said.
"They have to have probable cause to make an arrest. If there was no investigation how could there have been probable cause?" Krainski's attorney Jason Bach added.
After her arrest, Krainski was taken to the Clark County Detention Center where she said she was held from around 3 p.m. to 3 a.m.
After a formal hearing in November – a hearing Krainski said she was not allowed to prepare for – she was found "responsible" when it came to the assault charges.
"Megan had to represent herself [at the hearing,]" Bach said. He added that this was a violation of the UNLV Student Conduct Code and the Nevada System of Higher Education code.
The charges brought against her were later dropped in January.
Krainski is asking for damages in excess of $75,000 for violation of her constitutional rights, deprivation of her opportunity to obtain and further her career and the infliction of emotional distress and physical injury resulting from her 11-hour incarceration.
UNLV officials have declined to comment on the lawsuit or any of the events surrounding it.
Krainski's lawsuit is not the only recent litigation involving UNLV and its campus housing.
In May, student Kevin Lucey filed charges against the university, claiming unfair treatment after being physically attacked by his dorm roommate.
In his complaint, Lucey described an experience similar to Krainski, following a physical spat with his roommate Tyler Paugh. Like Krainski, Lucey alleged the university did not provide him proper notification of a hearing in which formal allegations were brought against him, leaving him unprepared.
He is also seeking $75,000 in damages. Both lawsuits are currently pending.
