A Cherokee man accused of running down and killing another man with a pickup truck will now wait until fall to stand trial, after a judge agreed last week to delay the proceedings.
Court records show 66‑year‑old Richard Allen Hammond was originally scheduled to face a jury in Cherokee County District Court on Tuesday. But the trial has been pushed back more than six months—now set for Sept. 22—after Hammond appointed a new defense attorney who requested additional time to prepare. The court granted the continuance on March 5.
Hammond is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 47-year-old Christopher Wheeler of Sutherland, who was killed in the early morning hours of April 21, 2025 at a barn east of Cherokee. Investigators say Wheeler had been working on a vehicle in a driveway when Hammond allegedly accelerated toward him in a pickup truck. Witnesses told deputies Wheeler tried to run but was struck and fatally injured. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to earlier court filings, investigators also reviewed Hammond’s cellphone data and reported that his phone had pinged near the farm more than 20 times in the days leading up to Wheeler’s death.
A warrant for Hammond’s arrest was issued on June 30, 2025, and he was taken into custody the following day. He was initially released on a $100,000 bond, but was jailed again in July after allegedly violating a protective order. Prosecutors cited a history of assault and domestic abuse and successfully requested a $1 million cash‑only bond.
In addition to the first‑degree murder charge, Hammond is also charged with stalking—violation of a protective order, and contempt—violation of a contact order.
The case has seen multiple attorney changes since Hammond’s arrest. Defense attorneys have argued that his prior offenses were decades old and largely misdemeanors, and that he has strong community ties.
If convicted of first‑degree murder, Hammond faces a mandatory life sentence.
