A Mercer County Sheriff’s deputy was killed while attempting to stop a man who was fleeing from law enforcement.
The victim is identified as 53-year old Paul Martin of Beulah – an 18 year veteran of the Department.
The incident happened five miles west of Hazen on Highway 200. The North Dakota Highway Patrol had a report of a stolen vehicle from Bismarck – a 2017 Chevy Tahoe. It was bring driven by Ian Cramer of Bismarck – the son of US Senator Kevin Cramer.
In a statement, Sen. Cramer said Ian suffers from serious mental disorders, which cause severe paranoia and hallucinations. Cramer said his wife, Kris, had taken Ian to Sanford’s emergency room in Bismarck, and when Kris got out of the vehicle, Ian jumped into the driver’s seat. Bismarck police say Cramer allegedly rammed the doors of the ambulance bay and then took off.
Police said the vehicle was tracked by a cell phone that was still in the car.
When officers approached Cramer, he fled in the vehicle. The Tahoe veered and crashed head-on into an unoccupied sheriff’s patrol vehicle, parked on a roadside approach. The Patrol says Martin was standing outside and behind the patrol car, when it was struck – but the impact of the crash pushed the patrol vehicle into the deputy – and he was killed.
Ian Cramer is in the Mercer County Jail in Stanton. The incident remains under investigation.
Gov. Burgum has ordered flags to fly at half-staff in Martin's rememberance.
