The Dakota Scout

The Dakota Scout

A closer look at the crimes of some of the women Gov. Kristi Noem commuted on Christmas Eve

Joe Sneve's avatar
Joe Sneve
Dec 27, 2022
∙ Paid

Tammy Kvasnicka was 28-years-old when she drove drunk and the wrong way on Interstate 229 before crashing into another car and killing Michael Xayavong.

The multi-year legal saga that followed culminated in her getting a 58-year-sentence for first-degree manslaughter, which she unsuccessfully fought all the way to the South Dakota Supreme Court.

But in the end, she served just a fraction of the time that a Minnehaha County Court handed down after having her sentence commuted by Gov. Kristi Noem on Dec. 24.

NEWS: Elected county officials poised for big pay bumps

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of The Dakota Scout.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 The Dakota Scout · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture