WINTERSET — Officials say a West Des Moines teenager has been charged with first-degree arson in a fire that destroyed an iconic covered bridge featured in the best-selling novel “The Bridges of Madison County.” A 17-year-old boy faces up to 25 years in prison if he’s convicted. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office believes the teen set the covered bridge on fire 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.