New Video: Investigators say Joseph Boever’s Phone was Found in Attorney General Ravnsborg’s Car

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - The South Dakota Department of Public Safety has released three hours of video of interviews conducted with South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg after a fatal crash.

Both interviews were conducted by Special Agents of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Portions of the audio and video have been redacted because the Attorney General referenced confidential information that is not relevant to this crash investigation.

The crash, which occurred just west of Highmore, resulted in the death of pedestrian Joseph Boever, who was struck by the Attorney General’s vehicle as Mr. Boever was walking on the north shoulder towards Highmore. Gov. Noem requested that DPS lead the investigation. The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ramsey County Coroner’s Office in Minnesota and a private crash reconstruction expert from Wyoming also participated in the investigation.

All evidence that’s been made public regarding the crash can be found here: https://dps.sd.gov/.

South Dakota House lawmakers on Tuesday began impeachment proceedings against the state’s attorney general, who is facing misdemeanor charges for striking and killing a man with his car and is already under pressure to resign.

UPDATE:

The Department of Public Safety released video today, of South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg.

He is being interviewed by Special Agents from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, after the fatal crash.

In the video, investigators say based on their evidence, it appeared the attorney general was on the phone at the time of the crash, reading political articles.

Prosecutors say both of his phones were locked approximately 1 minute and 15 seconds prior to the impact.

Ravnsborg insists he put the phone down before the impact and reached to the radio to turn if off.

Investigators: “Everything that we are seeing here appears you were on your phone reading political stuff at the time.

Ravnsborg: “I wasn’t. I set it down.”

Investigators: “We have a job. People make mistakes. We are thinking you made one.”

Ravnsborg: “I don’t remember being on my phone. I set it down. I shut my radio off. I looked at the spedometer....best I remember.”

Investigators also say they found Boever’s glasses in the passenger seat of Ravnsborg’s car, leading them to say that Boever’s face came through the windshield.

Ravnsborg denies seeing Boever the night of the crash, and also denies seeing his glasses.

It was not until Ravnsberg came back to the scene the next day, when he says he discovered Boever’s body.

Investigators: “We know certain things. We know those are his glasses. They are on his head. They ended up in your car.”

Ravnsborg: “I never saw him until you showed him to me. I never saw him.”

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