South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem says the state’s top law enforcement officer should resign now that he’s been charged with three misdemeanors in connection with a fatal vehicle-pedestrian accident last year.
Noem says now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, she believes Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg should resign.
Ravnsborg hit and killed 55 year old Joseph Boever the night of Sept. 12, 2020, on Highway 14 west of Highmore. Ravnsborg called 9-1-1 right after the collision not knowing what he’d hit, but ended up thinking it may have been a deer. He found Boever’s body in the ditch the next morning.
Last week (Feb. 18, 2021), Hyde County Deputy State’s Attorney Emily Sovell said after reviewing all of the investigation information, she’s charging Ravnsborg with:
- Count 1: Operating a Motor Vehicle While Using a Mobile Electronic Device
- Count 2: Lane Driving in Violation of South Dakota Codified Law
- Count 3: Careless Driving
Sovell said Count 1 comes from Ravnsborg’s behavior while driving east of Highmore, prior to the accident. Counts 2 and 3 are directly connected to Boever’s death.
Noem would appoint Ravnsborg’s replacement if he does resign. She would also pick his replacement if Ravnsborg is impeached by state lawmakers– a move legislators are said to be considering if Ravnsborg doesn’t resign.
After the charges were announced last week, a spokesperson for Ravnsborg said the Attorney General would not step down while he waits for the case against him to proceed.
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