Senator’s Son Receives 28-Year Sentence for Fatal Shooting of North Dakota Deputy in Car Chase

STANTON, N.D.—The adult son of North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer was sentenced to 28 years in prison on Monday after being involved in a dramatic chase that resulted in the death of a deputy.

Ian Cramer, aged 43, admitted guilt in September to multiple charges including homicide while fleeing law enforcement, preventing arrest, reckless endangerment, and several drug- and driving-related offenses. These charges stemmed from a chase and crash that occurred on December 6, 2023, which claimed the life of Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Martin, 53.

State District Judge Bobbi Weiler issued a sentence of 38 years, with 10 years suspended, plus three years of probation and credit for over a year already served in jail. She recommended that Cramer receive treatment for addiction and mental health issues. However, the judge indicated that he would likely not serve the entire 28 years.

“The [state] Department of Corrections has its own policies regarding serving time,” Weiler explained. “These are not mandatory minimums, meaning you can expect to serve only a fraction of those 28 years before being eligible for parole, which provides you an opportunity for a second chance that Deputy Martin does not have, nor does his family.”

Cramer, dressed in orange and seated quietly beside his public defender, expressed remorse to Martin’s family when offered the opportunity to speak.

“I did not intend for any of this to happen. It was an accident, and I hope one day they can find it in their hearts to forgive me. I think what’s best for me is to go to a hospital and seek further help,” Ian Cramer conveyed.

The focus of the sentencing largely revolved around Cramer’s struggles with addiction and mental health. Mercer County State’s Attorney Todd Schwarz noted that, according to medical experts, Ian Cramer had been experiencing the long-term consequences of “using drugs that induced a mentally ill state.”

Cramer confessed to using methamphetamine and bath salts on the crash day, as stated by Schwarz.

Cramer’s mother, Kris Cramer, delivered a statement in which she acknowledged that her son “has severely harmed his own brain” and is facing mental health challenges. She expressed sorrow and stated, “I truly feel responsible for the incident on December 6, 2023.”

Bismarck police reported that she brought him to the hospital due to mental health issues. Court records indicated he entered the driver’s seat of his parents’ vehicle after his mother exited and reversed through the hospital’s closed garage door. He subsequently attempted to evade officers when confronted in Hazen, approximately 70 miles from Bismarck.

During the chase, Cramer reached speeds exceeding 100 mph and continued even after two tires were punctured by spike strips. Ultimately, he swerved and collided head-on with Deputy Martin’s patrol vehicle, propelling him approximately 100 feet away, as reported by authorities. Deputy Martin was pronounced dead shortly thereafter at a nearby hospital.

Schwarz remarked that Martin was cherished by his fellow officers and remembered for his kindness, seen in how he routinely checked in on a young girl with a troubled parent who feared law enforcement. Just a week prior to the incident, Martin had shared his retirement aspirations with Schwarz, who had known him since the 1990s.

Cramer initially pleaded not guilty to homicide charges in April, which had originally been filed as manslaughter but were later amended. The homicide charge can carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He has been in custody at the McLean County Jail in Washburn with bail set at $500,000.

All offenses to which he pled guilty carry a potential maximum of just over 38 years, based on the prosecutor’s sentencing brief submitted earlier in December.

In March, Ian Cramer entered a not guilty plea regarding separate felony charges of theft, criminal mischief, and reckless endangerment related to the events at the Bismarck hospital. A jury trial is set for January.

Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) stated that his son “struggles with severe mental disorders exhibiting symptoms such as intense paranoia and hallucinations.”

The senator expressed gratitude towards the law enforcement, judiciary, and correctional facilities while voicing some disappointment regarding the handling of mental health matters by the court and prosecutor.

“However, it is evident that every individual involved, including Ian, acknowledges that his decisions have led to this situation, regardless of the circumstances and choices that have shaped his life over many years,” remarked Kevin Cramer, who was recently re-elected for a second term in November.

By Jack Dura