Murder suspect accused of running over a man in Northwest Iowa has posted bond

CHEROKEE, Iowa (KTIV) - A Northwest Iowa man charged with first-degree murder has posted his bond and is out on bail.

Court documents show 66-year-old Richard Hammond of Cherokee, Iowa, posted a $100,000 bond on Tuesday, April 22. Hammond is accused of killing 47-year-old Christopher Wheeler of Sutherland by running him over with a pickup. He is expected back in court on Wednesday, April 30, for his preliminary hearing, where it will be determined if there is enough evidence to continue the case.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office says the murder charge stems from an incident reported at about 12:30 a.m. on Monday, April 21. That morning, authorities were sent to a farm place east of Cherokee after a 911 call came in saying a man had been run over.

When first responders got to the farm, authorities identified Wheeler as the victim and attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.

According to court documents, two witnesses saw Wheeler get run over by a Chevrolet Silverado. Authorities say, in those court documents, that these witnesses knew Hammond and identified him as the driver, and both stated “that Hammond 100% intended to run over the victim.”

“Both witnesses stated that Hammond entered the driveway to the acreage at a high rate of speed and was driving towards a pickup that Wheeler was working on. Wheeler then tried to run away. Hammond ran over Wheeler and turned and sped off, leaving the scene,” stated authorities in court documents.

Hammond was later located and booked into the Cherokee County Jail for first-degree murder. Under Iowa law, those convicted of first-degree murder face a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole.

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