OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have arrested two men suspected of starting a 2006 fire that killed two Ottumwa residents in Wapello County. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says the two were arrested Monday and are each charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Court records say both have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled for a court hearing on Feb. 1st. They were identified as 28-year-old Christopher Yenger, of Ottumwa, and 27-year-old Zachary Dye, of Council Bluffs.

Authorities say the fire killed 20-year-old Nathan Messer and 22-year-old Seth Anderson, both from Ottumwa. The Public Safety Department says the case was reopened this month after authorities learned that the fire was started by people who were involved in a physical altercation at the home shortly before the fire was discovered.

(The Sheriff’s Office issued a **correction** saying the accident took place in Griswold, NOT Cumberland)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was arrested following an accident Monday night, in Griswold. Authorities say 22-year old Dillon Lee Foote, of Griswold, was taken into custody for OWI/2nd offense, and cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

Foote was traveling south on Adams Street in Griswold at around 10-p.m., when he lost control of the Honda Accord he was driving. The car hit a guy-wire and flipped onto its top, causing $3,500 damage.

Foote was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released this (Tuesday) morning, on his own recognizance.

Deputies in Mills County arrested a Council Bluffs woman this (Tuesday) morning. Officials say Jennifer Lea Neal was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail on warrants for Eluding and Inference with Official Acts. Neal was being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond.

A woman who fell asleep at the wheel of her car Monday morning crashed into a semi in Mills County. Sheriff’s officials say Claire Thalken, of Emerson, was transported to  the Montgomery County Hospital by Macedonia Rescue, following the crash that happened on Highway 59, at around 9:50-a.m., Monday.

Officials say Thalken was traveling north on the highway when she fell asleep. Her car crossed the centerline of the road and collided with a southbound 2007 semi driven by Michael Looper, of Hancock. The semi was disabled in the crash and came to rest in the southbound lane. The car came to rest in the northbound lane.

Officials say Looper was not injured in the crash.

The driver of a pickup truck was injured Monday night during a rollover accident on Interstate 80, east of Minden in Pottawattamie County. According to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department, 58-year old Christopher Barrett, of Salado, TX, was trapped in his vehicle after it hit a patch of ice, went out of control and rolled over twice before coming to rest on a ditch, on its top.

Barrett was freed by mechanical means from his Ford F-350 and transported to Jenny Edmundson Hospital, in Council Bluffs.The accident happened on I-80 eastbound, near mile marker 31.

A Council Bluffs man plead not guilty, Monday, to felony counts of assault and child endangerment for allegedly physically abusing a baby. According to the Daily NonPareil, the girlfriend of 23-year old Rodney Weatherwax, who was also charged, has been released from jail on bail.

On Dec. 21st, Weatherwax, was charged with two felony counts of assault causing willful injury, a felony count of abandonment of a dependent person, and felony count of child endangerment. He remains in Pottawattamie County Jail with bond set at $200,000. If convicted on all counts, Weatherwax faces up to 45-years in prison. The charges stemmed from the more than 20 fractures found on an infant.

According to his arrest affidavit, the infant, who was born on July 26, suffered more than 20 fractures between Sept. 1st and Nov. 30th. Along with the fracture, narcotics were also detected in the child. The infant’s mother, 19-year old Kuira Lawton, of Council Bluffs, also faces charges.

Lawton was charged Jan. 20th with felony abandonment of a dependent person. If convicted, Lawton could face up to 10 years in prison. Lawton, posted $10,000 bail through a bonding company on Jan. 21st. Her next scheduled court date will be a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Feb. 11th.

The child is currently living with relatives.