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PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Monday, Jan. 24, again urged Speaker of the House Spencer Gosch to open the investigative file into a fatal crash involving the state's attorney general.
An impeachment inquiry into Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg is ongoing in the House of Representatives.
"I have seen the entire investigative file, and the public deserves to see it so they can learn the truth of what happened," Noem said in a statement issued to the media. "The House has the sole constitutional power of impeachment, and they have the responsibility to see this process through in a timely manner."
Noem's office said the governor released the statement in response to requests from "multiple news agencies" to release the investigative file into the September 2020 fatal crash. In the incident, Ravnsborg drove his vehicle onto the shoulder of U.S. Highway 14 west of Highmore, South Dakota, and struck and killed pedestrian Joe Boever, 55, of Highmore.
Ravnsborg last year pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor unsafe driving charges.
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Last week, the committee taking up a possible impeachment inquiry met in Pierre and heard from North Dakota detectives who spearheaded the crash investigation. During questioning from lawmakers, both detectives revealed they believe Ravnsborg knew he'd hit a human being — not a deer, as he had claimed — the night of the crash.
Ravnsborg maintained in an investigative interview that he didn't know he'd hit a person until returning to the crash scene the next morning.
The House Select Committee on Investigation has not yet scheduled its next hearing.
