Ravnsborg killed a pedestrian, but initially said he may have hit a deer or other large animal. The GOP attorney general did not dispute in August 2021 a couple of road accident offenses in the accident, including the illegal lane change. He has described the death of Joseph Boever as a tragic accident. With 36-31 votes, Ravnsborg, who took office in 2019, became the first official to be referred to the history of South Dakota. As a result, he will be suspended from his duties pending trial in the Senate, which could lead to his removal from office if a two-thirds majority votes in favor of his conviction. Republican lawmaker Will Mortenson, who tabled the two referral articles, said Tuesday’s vote would set a precedent. South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg initially said he hit a deer and said the death was an accident. AP “Never in the history of our state has there been a government official who criminally ended the life of one of our citizens and refused to resign from that position,” Mortenson told the House of Representatives on Tuesday, according to the LA Times. “I believe that the referral should be reserved only for serious and exceptional circumstances, and I believe that this is one.” “Our top law enforcement officer misled law enforcement authorities in investigating these crimes,” Mortenson added. In a statement after the vote, Ravnsborg said: “I respect the procedure, but I look forward to the Senate trial where I believe I will be vindicated.” Last year, Ravnsborg’s lawyer Tim Rensch said that AG “did not want this guy to die”, while insisting that the fatal accident was accidental. Today, the House of Representatives did the right thing for the people of South Dakota and the family of Joe Bover. – Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) April 12, 2022 “Accidents happen, people die,” Rance said. “No one accuses the family of disliking the person involved.” Prosecutors also dropped a third charge of careless driving. Ravnsborg was fined $ 500 by a judge in each case and also ordered to pay more than $ 3,000 to cover the costs of securing the scene of the deadly shipwreck. He was not given any imprisonment. Rance said it was “completely false” that Ravnsborg should have known he had beaten a man, claiming he left the scene without malicious intent and consistently asserting his innocence. “I did not see him,” Ravnsborg said. “I did not see anything. I did not know he was human until the next day.” Republican MP Will Mortenson introduced two referral articles and said AG Jason Ravnsborg had misled law enforcement. AP Last month, Republican Gov. Christie Noem stepped up pressure on lawmakers to oust Ravnsborg, reiterating her calls for him to step down. Noem applauded the House after Tuesday’s vote, writing on Twitter: “Today, the House of Representatives did the right thing for the people of South Dakota and the family of Joe Bover.”
