The son of North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer is facing a new
charge of homicide while fleeing a peace officer after authorities say he
was involved in a car chase that ended in the death of a sheriff�s deputy,
court records show.

Ian Cramer, 42, was initially charged with manslaughter in connection to
the December 6 incident, in which he is accused of fleeing from law
enforcement and crashing into an unoccupied patrol vehicle that then
struck and killed a deputy who standing behind the car, according to the
North Dakota Highway Patrol.

The pursuit began when law enforcement in Hazen � a city about 70 miles
northwest of Bismarck � approached Cramer, who was driving a Chevy Tahoe
that had been reported stolen in Bismarck, and Cramer fled, the highway
patrol said.

During the chase, Cramer crashed into an unoccupied Mercer County
Sheriff�s Office patrol vehicle that was parked on the side of the road,
the release says.

Mercer County Deputy Paul Martin, 53, was standing outside the vehicle and
about to deploy a tire deflation device to end the pursuit, highway patrol
said. �The impact of the crash pushed the patrol vehicle into the deputy,
killing him,� highway patrol said.

Cramer has also been charged with the felony offenses of preventing
arrest, reckless endangerment and fleeing from an officer during the
commission of a felony, court records show. He also faces misdemeanor
charges for possession of methamphetamine and cocaine and an infraction
for possession of marijuana.

CNN has sought comment from Cramer�s attorney. His next scheduled court
appearance is December 18.

Sen. Cramer said in a statement last week his son suffers from �serious
mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations.�

On Wednesday, the senator�s wife, Kris, was taking Ian Cramer an emergency
room in Bismark, he said.

�When she got out of our vehicle, Ian jumped into the driver�s seat and
fled,� Sen. Cramer said.

The senator said the family was able to track the car through his wife�s
cell phone and help officers locate his son.

�We grieve especially for the family of the hero who tried to help Ian,
and we pray for our gracious God to show up as He always does in tragedy,�
Sen. Cramer said.

Martin, who was an 18-year veteran with the sheriff�s office, is survived
by his wife and three children.

�NDHP honors the memory and sacrifice of Mercer County Deputy Paul Martin
and sends condolences to his family, friends, and the entire Mercer County
community,� NDHP said in a statement on Facebook.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/14/us/north-dakota-senator-cramer-son-
homicide-charge/index.html