Ravnsborg trial set to begin Thursday

The trial of South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg is set to begin Thursday.

Ravnsborg was returning to his home in Pierre on the night of September 12th from a political event in Redfield when he struck and killed Joe Boever along Highway 14. Ravnsborg called 911 after the crash and said he didn’t know what he had hit, but that it could have been a deer. The next day, Ravnsborg returned to the scene and found Boever’s body next to the road.

Ravnsborg faces misdemeanor charges of illegal lane change, using his phone behind the wheel and careless driving. All three are misdemeanor charges and each carries a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.

The defense has argued that Ravnsborg’s vehicle was in its lane and Boever might have been attempting suicide. Criminal investigators from North Dakota determined from the crash scene that Ravnsborg’s vehicle was on the paved shoulder when it struck Boever.

Boever’s widow is expected to file a civil suit against Ravnsborg after the criminal trial.

August 25, 2021