South Dakota's attorney general charged with misdemeanors in fatal car crash
South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (R) was charged on Thursday with three misdemeanors for hitting and killing a man with his car last September.
The victim was 55-year-old Joseph Boever. Ravnsborg was charged with careless driving, driving out of his lane, and operating a motor vehicle while on his phone. He faces up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 for each charge. Hyde County Deputy State's Attorney Emily Sovell said Ravnsborg was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and to charge him with manslaughter, the state would have had to show he "consciously and unjustifiably" disregarded a substantial risk, The Associated Press reports. "At best, his conduct was negligent, which is insufficient to bring criminal charges in South Dakota," Beadle County State's Attorney Michael Moore said.
The incident occurred near Highmore on the night of Sept. 12, as Ravnsborg drove home to Pierre from a Republican fundraiser. He initially told law enforcement he thought he hit a large animal, and didn't know he struck a person until he returned to the scene the next day. Investigators said Ravnsborg was distracted and drove into the shoulder of the highway, where Boever was walking.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Relatives and friends of Boever are upset that Ravnsborg was able to avoid more serious felony charges, and question why it took so long to finally charge him. "I was afraid the charge would be something on the order of crossing the white line," Nick Nemec, Boever's cousin, told AP. "And that's exactly what the charge was." In a statement, Ravnsborg said he can't imagine the "pain and loss" Boever's family is feeling, and appreciates "that the presumption of innocence placed within our legal system continues to work."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Indie film's 'very brief' use of AI sparks backlash and calls for boycotts
Talking Points Did the creators of a new horror movie make a deal with the artificial intelligence devil?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
Today's Big Question The pop star has outsized influence — and that extends beyond the music industry
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published