HOT SPRINGS -- A man was arrested on a murder charge late Thursday after pushing his brother out of a moving vehicle during an argument, causing his death, authorities said.

The argument was over corn dogs, according to a probable-cause affidavit

Richard Dean Ammons, 57, was taken into custody at his residence on 409 Beard St. in Hot Springs and was later charged with second-degree murder, a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

He was being held in lieu of $10,000 bond and appeared via video Friday morning in Garland County District Court, where he pleaded innocent to the charge.

A felony review hearing to determine if the charge will be bound over to Garland County Circuit Court is scheduled for Dec. 2. Judge Ralph Ohm issued a gag order limiting pretrial publicity in the case.

According to the affidavit, the Garland County sheriff's office received a 911 call around 7:18 p.m. Thursday about a man lying in the 800 block of Owl Creek Cutoff in Royal. The 911 caller said the man was bleeding, and an ambulance crew was dispatched to the scene.

Sheriff's Cpl. Jon Lane and Deputy Charles DeLaHunt arrived and found the man, later identified as Johnnie Ammons, 55, lying in the roadway. They noted that his arm was bleeding. Johnnie Ammons told Lane that his brother, Richard Ammons, had thrown him from a Jeep and had "broken his back and killed him," according to the affidavit.

Lane asked the victim why that occurred, and the victim said the two had been "arguing over corn dogs," the affidavit said. Johnnie Ammons was taken to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs, where he was pronounced dead. The affidavit noted that he had multiple scrapes and bruises on his body.

Deputies found Richard Ammons at his residence and took him to the sheriff's office for questioning. Ammons stated that he had gone to his brother's house after work to take him to the store.

He said he drove them to Brady Mountain One Stop, at 7214 Albert Pike Road, and then to the Dollar General store across the road at 7301 Albert Pike. Richard Ammons stated that "a lot of times" his brother would stay in his Jeep and "continue to drink beer."

He said the two of them got into an argument, but he couldn't remember what the argument was about, the affidavit said. Richard Ammons also stated that "maybe I pushed him out of the Jeep," according to the affidavit.

State Desk on 11/02/2019