Son-in-law of former Sioux Falls mayor pleads guilty to lesser charge after facing felony

Editor's note: The story below mentions mental health issues. If you need help or know someone who does, please call 988, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available for 24/7, free and confidential support. This is also the fourth of five pieces exploring how years-long gaps in mental health services have now rippled down to some of the youngest South Dakotans.

Update as of Nov. 22, 2023: Kiesner pleaded guilty to a charge of entering or surreptitiously remaining in a building on Nov. 14, the same day on which the charge of reckless burning or exploding was dismissed by the prosecutor.

Kiesner had to pay $200 in fines and court fees, and received a 30-day suspended sentence.

Earlier story: A man arrested Tuesday for setting fire to a residential home in southern Sioux Falls sat on the board of directors for a recently-created organization aimed at navigating South Dakota’s connections with international trade, and is the son-in-law of former Mayor Mike Huether.

Sioux Falls Police Department spokesman Sam Clemens said David J. Kiesner was arrested on one felony charge of reckless burning or exploding after Sioux Falls Fire Rescue was called to the scene of a structure fire in the 4400 block of South Yellowstone Lane. Misdemeanor charges were also filed Wednesday against Kiesner for domestic abuse simple assault, an incident which court documentation showed involved a citation from April. An arrest warrant was issued for the domestic abuse charge Wednesday.

A release from the fire department said moderate smoke was coming from broken windows on the main floor of the home when they arrived, and fire crews entered the home to find a fire in the living room. They found no occupants in the home and extinguished the fire “in a matter of minutes,” though the release notes one person was injured.

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Clemens said a gas can was found on a table inside the home, and that Kiesner was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries before he was released to the custody of the Minnehaha County Jail. The call initially came in about a man with a mental health issue, according to police scanner recordings, but Clemens would not confirm Wednesday whether that was the case, adding state law does not allow him to reveal such details.

Kiesner married Kylie Huether, the daughter of former Mayor Mike Huether, in 2014. The city’s online parcel finder tool shows that a David J. and Kylie Kiesner are currently the owners of a home located in the 4400 block of South Yellowstone Lane.

Police scanner traffic from around the incident noted that David Kiesner was the only person in the home at the time of the fire.

Kiesner until Wednesday sat on the board of directors for South Dakota Trade, serving as the treasurer of the recently-formed association whose website says they “navigate international trade for South Dakota.”

“David Kiesner has been removed as a member of South Dakota Trade’s board of directors," said Executive Director of Corporate Development Joe Beck. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Kiesner family during these difficult times.”

SDT’s website also lists Kiesner as the director of business development at Millborn Seeds, a company based in Sherman, South Dakota. An employee there was unable to comment on Kiesner as well.

Kiesner's initial court hearing for the felony charge was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but was later reset to July 28. No court date has been scheduled for the domestic abuse charge at this time.

Misdemeanor charge alleges Kiesner threatened wife in April

Tuesday’s incident wasn’t the first time Sioux Falls police responded to a call at the Kiesner residence.

On April 17, Kiesner’s wife called the police after she came home at about 1:30 p.m. and found him on the couch with three shooters of alcohol near him, according to documents filed Wednesday used to issue Kiesner’s arrest warrant. When she told Kiesner he needed to get up to take their son to lacrosse, he allegedly got up from the couch and went upstairs when he “got angry and punched the wall.”

The victim told officers that Kiesner allegedly walked toward her with “a drunk look in his eye, so she told him ‘I have the baby, I have the baby, don’t be stupid,” according to court documents. The victim was pregnant at the time.

When she called police, during a recording of the dispatch call, the victim can be heard crying and saying “my husband is being aggressive and I think I need a police officer,” according to court documents.

The victim said she was afraid after Kiesner had punched the wall, and while she didn’t think he would hit her, she was intimidated by him, court documents stated. The victim said she thought Kiesner was trying to intimidate her so she would leave him alone.

The victim started to leave the home but went back for the truck keys, according to court documents. Inside, she found Kiesner in the basement allegedly with a crowbar and he was allegedly hitting the floor with the crowbar.

When responding officers attempted to contact Kiesner first in person and then over the phone, he did not answer, according to court documents. Kiesner texted officers saying, “Sorry, I cant [sic] talk right now.”

While officers were on scene, the victim came back to them and said Kiesner had allegedly just called her and said “Why are there police here? I’m going to shoot you, I’m breaking everything,” and then hung up, according to court documents.

Officers told her to leave and avoid contact with Kiesner, who allegedly then called her back and said “I love you, I can’t do this anymore,” and then several gunshots were heard, according to court documents. Officers then attempted to contact Kiesner again who briefly answered and then hung up. Officers left the scene for safety purposes after having tried to contact him multiple times.

Three days later, officers spoke with the victim again who said that Kiesner was “better” and that the gunshots might have been a recording, according to court documents. The victim could not find any bullet holes in the home.

Officers then spoke with Kiesner on April 26, who said on the day of the incident, he started to have mental health issues and depression and came home after the lunch hour to take a nap, “with the intention of sleeping through the depressed state,” according to court documents. Kiesner said he had bought two single shooters of alcohol.

Kiesner told the victim he wanted to be left alone and that she continued to confront him, according to court documents. He went to the utility room to be alone and asked several times to be left alone, but the victim allegedly continued to yell at him.

Kiesner said he punched the wall because, “he felt cornered because she was coming after him,” according to court documents. He had the crowbar to keep the victim from coming closer because she continued to approach him. He did tap the crowbar on the ground but couldn’t explain why.

Asked if Kiesner thought the victim was going to hit him, he said, “he wasn’t afraid of her physically harming me” and he was in a difficult mental state and wanted to be alone, according to court documents.

Kiesner denied saying he was going to shoot the victim and that he had a gun, according to court documents. He explained he didn’t answer phone calls from officers because his phone was broken and that he didn’t respond to the in-person check because he didn’t want to be placed on a mental hold.

Kiesner continued to say he felt he was intimidated by the victim in his mental state and asked if officers were going to arrest her, according to court documents. Kiesner then said “he wasn’t intimidating the victim but running from her.”

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota Trade board member pleads guilty to lesser charge after facing felony