SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — KELOLAND News has confirmed the name of the victim in the fatal car -pedestrian crash involving South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg on Saturday night.
His family says 55-year-old Joe Boever of Highmore was killed in the crash.
Former South Dakota legislator Nick Nemec and his brother, Victor, were asked to identify the body of their cousin 22 hours after the crash.
Nick Nemec tells KELOLAND News that Boever ran his pickup into the ditch one mile west of Junction 14 and 47 at Highmore, hitting a bale of hay early Saturday evening. Boever called Victor, who gave Boever a ride back to the victim’s home at about 8:30 p.m., telling Boever they would go to try to straighten out the bumper and get the pickup out Sunday morning.
The next morning, Victor drove by where the Ravnsborg crash happened, which was about a fourth of a mile west of where Boever’s pickup was in the ditch.
Victor alerted the Hyde County Sheriff that his cousin was missing. Finally 22 hours after the crash involving Ravnsborg occurred, Victor and Nick were asked to identify Boever’s body.
The Nemecs don’t know why Boever had apparently tried to return to his pickup Saturday night.
Victor tells KELOLAND News that he questions whether or not a 911 call was made because no sirens of emergency vehicles were heard leaving Highmore Saturday night.
The Nemecs say the scene was teaming with law enforcement and emergency vehicles for hours on Sunday.
“My worst fear is that they’re trying to get ducks in a row to absolve the attorney general of any wrongdoing,” Nick Nemec said.
Governor Kristi Noem announced Ravnsborg, 44, involvment in a deadly crash during a Sunday evening news conference.
According to a Facebook post about his plans for Saturday evening, Ravnsborg was in Redfield for a Spink County GOP event.
He issued the following statement about the crash following Noem’s news conference.
I am shocked and filled with sorrow following the events of last night. As Governor Noem stated, I am fully cooperating with the investigation and I fully intend to continue do so moving forward. At this time I offer my deepest sympathy and
JASON RAVNSBORG
condolences to the family.
On Monday, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety said Ravnsborg reported hitting a deer with his 2011 Ford Taurus to the Hyde County Sheriff’s Office after the crash at 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
The state confirms Boever’s body wasn’t found until Sunday morning.
