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(Re-posting) Second Iowa teen arrested in Madison County bridge fire

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April 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a second teenager has been arrested in connection with a fire that destroyed an iconic covered bridge featured in the best-selling novel “The Bridges of Madison County.”

Madison County Sheriff Jason Barnes tells Des Moines television station KCCI that  18-year-old Joel Davis, of Norwalk has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree arson for the fire that destroyed the Cedar Bridge near Winterset. On Tuesday, officials announced charges against 17-year-old Alexander Hoff, of West Des Moines.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office believes the fire that burned the covered bridge was set early Saturday morning. The bridge was also featured in the 1995 movie adaptation of “The Bridges of Madison County,” starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. The novel was written by Robert James Waller, who died in March.