MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) - Police have arrested an Iowa teen accused of setting the same vacant house on fire three separate times last year.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety says 19-year-old Coty Cates, of Missouri Valley, is charged with three counts of second-degree arson in connection with the October fires.
The Omaha World-Herald reports (https://bit.ly/1PwSYM2 ) the house is a complete loss.
A message left for Cates’ attorney Friday seeking comment on his behalf went unreturned.
Authorities say they’re investigating other possible arson cases in the area, including another vacant house fire in March, which resulted in the arrest of former Missouri Valley Fire Chief Johnnie Walker. He pleaded not guilty to interference with official acts and reporting false information.
Investigators say there’s no known connection between Walker and Cates.
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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, https://www.omaha.com
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