ND Sen. Kevin Cramer’s son, 43, pleads guilty in high-speed car chase that killed sheriff’s deputy

Republican North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer’s adult son pleaded guilty on Friday to all charges stemming from a high-speed chase that killed a sheriff’s deputy late last year. 

Ian Cramer, 43, was hit with homicide, fleeing a peace officer and several drug charges in connection to the Dec. 6, 2023, head-on crash that resulted in the death of Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Martin, 53.

The homicide charge alone comes with a maximum 20-year prison sentence. 

Prosecutors did not agree to lower their sentencing recommendations as part of the plea deal.

The judge ordered Cramer to undergo mental and substance abuse evaluations ahead of his sentencing. 

The elder Cramer, who is up for re-election in November, has said that his son “suffers from serious mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations.”

“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,” the senator wrote in a statement released the night of his son’s arrest.

“We ask the public for prayers for the lost officer’s family and colleagues who serve us every day and are grateful for all they do for us,” he added.

“We also ask God for healing for Ian. We love him and hurt deeply.”

The deadly chase started when Ian Cramer stole his mother’s 2017 Chevy Tahoe as she attempted to check him into a Bismarck hospital over concerns about his mental health, authorities said. 

Police tracked him down about 70 miles away from the hospital and he fled, leading police on a chase that reached speeds over 100 mph. 

He managed to keep going — even after police flattened two of his tires with a spike strip, according to authorities. 

When Cramer swerved to avoid another set of spikes, he slammed into Martin’s patrol vehicle, killing the sheriff’s deputy, who was standing outside his car, according to officials. 

After the crash, police discovered a backpack in the wrecked vehicle containing methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. 

Martin was an 18-year veteran of the Mercer County Sheriff’s office and married with three children, according to authorities.

In March, Cramer pleaded not guilty to separate felony charges of theft, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment in connection in connection to the car theft at the Bismarck hospital 

He has been held at a Washburn jail on $500,000 cash bail since the incident.

In 2013, Cramer was hit with a misdemeanor simple assault charge after allegedly knocking his brother over the head.

He pleaded guilty and was given a 10-day suspended prison sentence, a year’s probation and ordered to pay a $150 fine.

Earlier that same year, Cramer pleaded guilty to making a false report to law enforcement and possession of a controlled substance.

He was given credit for time served and told to pay a $300 fine.

The Post has reached out to Sen. Cramer’s office for comment. 

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