UWPD: 18-year-old accused in residence hall bathroom incident

MADISON, Wis. — An 18-year-old is facing charges after bringing a camera early Wednesday into the women’s bathroom of a campus dorm, police said.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department said a man was able to get inside the Sellery Residence Hall about 2:40 a.m. by “piggybacking” off other residents who were entering the building. Shortly after entering Sellery, the man entered a women’s restroom and pointed a camera at a resident. She screamed and the suspect fled. Through security camera footage, investigators determined the man had entered several women’s restrooms while inside the residence hall.

Later Wednesday morning, UW police found the suspect, Larry Seidl of Madison. Seidl was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing. Police are investigating possible additional charges.

Police said any resident of Sellery Hall who believes they may be a victim should contact UWPD.

Police spokesman Marc Lovicott said Seidl, though not a UW-Madison student, may have made his way into the residence hall on other occasions.

“Based on what we’ve been able to recover evidence wise, and in conversations with the suspect, we have reason to believe that this is not the first time that he’s done this,” Lovicott said.

UWPD said students can protect each other by stopping people they don’t know from piggybacking their way into a residence hall or other secured building.

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