South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has been charged five months after he admitted to hitting and killing a 55-year-old man with his car. 

Ravnsborg hit and killed Joseph Boever on Sept. 12, 2020, on U.S. Highway 14 near Highmore, South Dakota, while he was on his way home from a GOP dinner. He said he thought he'd hit a deer that night, and when he looked, he couldn't see anything. The next morning he found Boever's body on the side of the road. 

On Thursday, Feb. 18, the Hyde County State's Attorney's Office announced three misdemeanor charges against Ravnsborg. They are: operating a vehicle while using his cellphone, failure to keep his car in its travel lane and careless driving, the Grand Forks Herald says. 

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of a $500 fine and/or 30 days in jail, the Argus Leader says.

During the news conference, Hyde County Assistant State's Attorney Emily Sovell said Ravnsborg's actions didn't meet the threshold to charge him with a felony, such as vehicular homicide or second-degree manslaughter, the papers said. 

Sovell said Ravnsborg wasn't under the influence of alcohol or other chemicals at the time of the crash but declined to say what caused him to be driving outside of his lane when the crash happened. 

According to the Argus Leader, Boever's family is not satisfied with the charges because they allege Ravnsborg is criminally responsible for Boever's death.