Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg was absent from the Stanley County Courthouse Thursday when he was sentenced for his role in the death of Joe Boever.
Attorney Tim Rensch pleaded no contest on Ravnsborg’s behalf to two Class 2 misdemeanors: using a mobile device while driving and unlawfully changing lanes.
In a plea deal, the Hyde County State’s Attorney agreed to drop a third charge, careless driving, also a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Retired Sixth Circuit Judge John Brown presided over the high profile case. After hearing statements from both sides and from the victim’s family, he declined to grant Ravnsborg’s request for a suspended imposition of sentence, which would have sealed his criminal record after 30 days.
Along with fines and costs, Judge Brown imposed a condition.
“In addition, I am going to require that Mr. Ravnsborg do a significant public service event over a period of five years, once each year, on or about the anniversary date of Mr. Boever’s death.”
Tim Rensch questioned the legality of that condition, and the judge invited him to challenge it in writing, without the need for further hearings.
The family of Joe Boever is planning to sue Ravnsborg in civil court for wrongful death, according to statements made during the hearing.
Ravnsborg was driving to his home in Pierre on Sept. 12 after attending a Republican fundraiser in Redfield earlier in the night. His car struck and killed Boever, who was walking on the shoulder of Highway 14 in Hyde County.
Ravnsborg called 911 and reported hitting a deer, and Hyde County Sheriff Mike Volek responded to the scene. He and Ravnsborg searched the area, but they didn’t find Boever’s body in the ditch until the following day.