The Decatur County man accused of involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death has filed a motion requesting his bond amount be reduced. A decision in the matter will be made Jan. 8 as the state is opposing the motion.
In a motion filed Dec. 18, Jacob R. Wright asserted he is not able to post his current bond amount of $25,000 cash only. Instead, he is asking for his bond to be reduced to $15,000 cash or surety bond.
Wright’s motion cites the Eight Amendment of the United States Constitution in his request: “excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” The motion further states that per Iowa Code, the appropriate form of bail is at the discretion of the district court.
Wright’s motion says he has a minimal prior criminal record with no charges in the past 20 years, works at a family-owned business, owns his own home and has significant family ties to the local community.
A resistance by the state was filed by Clarke County Attorney Johanna Olson Dec. 19.
The state’s motion wrote that Wright’s motion simplified risk factors that should be explored by the court. To Wright’s claim of employment, the state argued Wright’s employment is casual and sporadic, and that his home was the subject of a sheriff’s levy and sale in Decatur County on Dec. 9, 2025, that has since accrued an additional lien. This, that state said, would increase Wright’s flight risk.
A prior conviction in Clarke County that resulted in probation that was revoked and resulted in incarceration ending July 6, 2006 “demonstrated that [Wright] has failed to comply with court ordered supervisions, which directly relates to how he will behave if released on bond now.” The state pointed that Wright had left the scene of an accident in an alleged attempt to avoid legal responsibility, further pointing to the state’s lack of confidence that Wright will comply with court dates and requirements. As Wright is accused of involuntary manslaughter with a vehicle, his release prior to an examination of his driving abilities would put other drivers at risk.
Finally, the state wrote about GPS monitoring, describing it as a passive monitoring tool that cannot physically prevent Wright from operating a motor vehicle nor from fleeing the jurisdiction. The state requested the court uphold the current bond to ensure the safety of the community and Wright’s appearance.
Wright is charged with involuntary manslaughter, a Class D felony; leaving the scene of an accident, causing death or serious injury, a Class C felony; driving while license denied, revoked or canceled, a simple misdemeanor and failure to provide insurance in an accident, a simple misdemeanor. The charges stem from a hit-and-run the evening of Nov. 12 south of Murray that resulted in the death of 16-year-old Elmer Borntrager, after a vehicle hit the horse-drawn buggy he was driving.