South Dakota State Representative Richard Vasgaard dies after a farming accident
Vasgaard was Vice Chairman of the House Transportation Committee.
Richard Vasgaard was Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives. He died on August 27, 2025 after being fatally injured in a farming accident.
Vasgaard was first elected to the House from the 17th District in 2020. Re-districting moved him to the 16th District and in 2022 he was defeated for another term in the Republican primary. But he would win a return to the House last year.
A native of Sioux Falls, Vasgaard graduated from high school in nearby Centerville, South Dakota. Later, he obtained a degree in agronomy from South Dakota State University.
In 1972, Richard Vasgaard married Joyce Nygaard. They had two children.