South Dakota AG had glasses of man killed in car crash after the incident

A South Dakota attorney general allegedly had the glasses of a man that he struck and killed in a car crash, according to interviews released Tuesday by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. 

The news of the interview comes after the South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (R) said that he was unaware he hit the man until the following day. 

The interview shows detectives on the case questioning Ravnsborg about the glasses they found in his car.

“They’re Joe’s glasses, so that means his face came through your windshield,” a detective said, according to the interview.

However, Ravnsborg appeared to stick with his previous statement that he believed he hit a deer that night and did not realize he struck and allegedly killed Joe Boever, 55.

“He knew there was a dead man in that ditch,” Nick Nemec, Boever’s cousin, told The Washington Post in response to the interview. “He knew what he hit and he lied.”

In September, Ravnsborg is accused of hitting Boever as he was walking on the side of the highway to his car that lay in a ditch. 

Ravnsborg allegedly searched with the sheriff that night for a deer but didn’t find anything. Ravnsborg returned to the scene the next day and that is when he allegedly found Boever’s body and reported it to authorities. 

Following the release of the interviews, two articles of impeachment were filed against Ravnsborg, who refused to step down when called to resign, according to the Post.

“Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign. I have reviewed the material we are releasing, starting today, and I encourage others to review it as well,” South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) tweeted. 

Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign. I have reviewed the material we are releasing, starting today, and I encourage others to review it as well.

— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) February 23, 2021

“At no time has this issue impeded his ability to do the work of the office,” Mike Deaver, Ravnsborg’s private spokesman, told the Argus Leader.

Ravnsborg is facing three misdemeanor charges of operating a vehicle while using a mobile or electronic device, a lane driving violation and careless driving.