A Sioux Falls man charged with killing a Moody County sheriff’s deputy is fighting to strike the death penalty as a sentencing option in his case, according to court records filed Friday, July 10.
Joseph Hoek, who is in his 40s, was charged with first-degree premeditated murder after allegedly striking Moody County Sheriff Chief Deputy Kenneth Prorok on Feb. 2, 2024, during a police chase on State Highway 34 near the Interstate 29 exit. Hoek is also charged with aggravated eluding.
On July 13, the State of South Dakota and Hoek’s defense team met for an initial court hearing in Flandreau. South Dakota Attorney General Communications Director Tony Mangan noted that Hoek’s defense favors postponing the trial, whereas the state wants to maintain the trial date of Sept. 21, 2026, a date originally set in October 2025…